Hienmar High
by Krayzee Aussie
Summary: Chapter 20-Johnny's acting a little strange, he's cool one second, an ass the next. What's up with that?
1. Default Chapter

Ha ha! I write again! Trying something different this time. Don't know how it will go, so let's call this a Pilot chapter okay? Please let me know what you think! `````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Pilot (will rename if continued)  
  
Inside the Hienmar high it was alive with buzz. Near the entrance hall, a two toned blue haired boy was leaning against a wall listening to two others, a raven haired and red head drabble over the girls they had played over the holidays. He wasn't really listening and was watching the school doors as students walked in and greeted their friends. Suddenly it swung open and an interesting prospect caught his eye.  
  
"Hey guys," he interrupted. "Check out the new chick." They looked down the hall way to the door where a tall, tanned teen was standing taking in her surroundings.  
  
She wore camouflage green combat pants and a yellow singlet top under a white mesh top. On one arm was a white mesh fingerless glove that went to her elbow and both hands had fingerless gloves on. She wore a white Roxy visor and blue Gallas as well as long silver earrings.  
  
"Whoa, what fox hole did she crawl out of?" a dull red head with blue bandanna laughed.  
  
"It's an interesting look," A purple haired boy added. She disappeared down an adjacent corridor.  
  
"Wonder what year she's in?" a flame red haired said looking at the blue haired boy. He shrugged.  
  
"Either way you don't stand a chance," the blue smirked. The flame haired gave him a shove as the bell went and they walked to the senior study.  
  
Oliver walked down the hall way and almost collided with what looked almost like a mixed up army commando.  
  
"Whoa, sorry sir," he said stopping as the other person spun around in surprise.  
  
"No sweat," it said coldly, but it wasn't a masculine voice. It was a girl's voice. Oliver looked at it critically to find it was a girl. She was wearing a very strange style of clothes.  
  
"Are you new here?" he asked shifting his bag on his shoulder.  
  
"Yeah," it replied looking back down the hall.  
  
"What year?"  
  
"12."  
  
"Oh great! You're with me, are you lost?" he asked offering his assistance.  
  
"Not really," she replied.  
  
"Well come with me to the senior study then," he said and grabbed her arm, dragging her down the hall.  
  
"Err.I can walk fine on my own thanks," she said coldly yanking her hand out of his grasp as they neared the Senior Study.  
  
"Come on then," he said shoving her through the door. Everyone looked up at her strangely and then their faces split into smiles as Oliver walked in.  
  
"Hey guys! This is.err, what's your name again?" he said turning back to her.  
  
"Tia," she replied coldly, glaring at him.  
  
"Right! This is Tia!" he said brightly not bothered by her cold stare. "I'm Oliver and this is the rest of the year." Several kids got up to greet her, but she just looked at them as they introduced themselves.  
  
"Hi! I'm Ray," a raven haired boy said offering his hand. She ignored his hand and glared straight at him.  
  
"Careful Ray, I think she bites," a voice drawled from her right. A flame red haired boy was sitting on a lounge, leaning on his knees with his elbows.  
  
"You're right, I do," she replied smirking slightly when Ray drew back his hand. The room laughed.  
  
"What brings you to Hienmar?" asked a blonde haired boy sitting on a desk with three others.  
  
"Got shipped here by the RAAF," she replied coldly, her face set in a cold stare.  
  
"Really? So you're from Australia," a sandy haired boy asked typing in his lap top.  
  
"That's what the A stands for doesn't it?"  
  
"I was wondering about the accent," the dark blue haired boy said from beside him.  
  
"It's not me with the accent," she hissed.  
  
"I'm Tala and I like your attitude," the red head said with a laugh.  
  
"Hey guys!" another voice shouted from outside. It raced in and smashed right into Tia, but she didn't move. A dull red head wearing a blue bandanna smashed into her and fell to the floor.  
  
"Whoa! That hurt!" he shouted and stood up. "Hey you're the new chick."  
  
"You reckon?" she drawled.  
  
"Anyway, what have you got first?" Oliver said tapping her shoulder.  
  
"Sport, Lifestyle and Recreation," she replied not bothering to look at her timetable.  
  
"You're with us then," said Ray as a blonde appeared at his side.  
  
"Ray, who's this?" she asked in a high voice.  
  
"I'm Tia, who are you Barbie?" she replied snidely, immediately not liking the bleached blonde.  
  
"Oh hi, I'm Sammie. Are you new here?" Everyone snickered as she apparently missed the remark Tia made.  
  
"What do you think?" Tia replied rolling her eyes.  
  
"Well the bell just went are you in SLR with us?" she asked sweetly.  
  
"Unfortunately," Tia replied coldly.  
  
"Why did you choose it if you don't like sport?"  
  
"It's not the sport I don't like."  
  
"Oh, you'll get used to Mr Turada," she said sweetly before kissing Ray and walking past. Tia slapped her head and groaned, making Tala laugh so hard he fell off the lounge.  
  
"Ok class, I'd like you to meet Tia Shenohi, she's just shipped in from Australia. Could you tell us a little about yourself?" he asked as Tia stood beside him. They had all changed and were wearing the sports uniform of the school which was a dark blue, white and light blue polo shirt and blue shorts.  
  
"No," she said simply.  
  
"Oh come now, what's it like in Australia this time of year?"  
  
"Better than here," she said coldly. Mr Turada seemed taken a back but ploughed on.  
  
"Well, did you do any sport?"  
  
"Stupid question."  
  
"She's got a point there sir, they clean swept the Pan Pacific swimming championships," Ray said from his spot on the floor of the gym.  
  
"Oh yes, I remember that," he said with an after thought. "Anyway let's get to work. Gymnastics." There was a groan from several of the boys and a cheer from the small contingent of girls.  
  
"Why today?" groaned Tyson; the dark blue haired boy, lying on the floor.  
  
"Because it's your first day back, naturally. We'll start with basic cart wheels first," said walking to the mats he'd set out on the floor. "Who's first?"  
  
"We'll go first sir!" Sammie exclaimed from the group of bleached blondes. They stood up and walked to the mats. Each one completed a perfect set of cart wheels.  
  
"Well, that's practically all the girls through, Tia go ahead," he said motioning for Tia. She sighed and got to her feet, walking to the mats.  
  
"Come on Tia," called Sammie from the other side. Tia groaned and did a perfect set of Cart wheels, not stopping unlike the cheerleaders. The girls looked shock, and the boys didn't look much better.  
  
"Very nice Tia!" Mr Turada said clapping. Tia rolled her eyes and sat back down.  
  
"Show us some advanced skills!" the boy with two toned blue hair, Kai, shouted.  
  
"You first," said Mr Turada smugly.  
  
"Go on Kai, I will if you will," Ray said hitting him on the back.  
  
"Fine," he growled and got to his feet. He took a run up and somersaulted, twisted and cart wheeled to the other end. The class clapped and hooted.  
  
"Now Ray," Mr Turada said writing something in his folder. Ray took a run up and cart wheeled before hand springing and flipping. He then rolled and stood up on his landing. There were more shouts and claps.  
  
"Ok, now girls," Ray said bowing to the ladies. Sammie giggled and swooned to him before hurrying down the other end. The other girls sat down, apparently unable to match her skill. Tia however rolled her eyes and joined her down the other end. Kai and Ray looked at each with raised eye brows.  
  
"You reckon she knows what she's doing?" Tala asked as he and Johnny appeared beside them.  
  
"Dunno," Ray replied. Kai folded his arms and watched as Sammie performed a routine she did for the cheerleaders. The other cheerleaders shouted for her as she finished with splits.  
  
"Tia, would you like to have a go?" Mr Turada asked his tone slightly nervous. She ignored him and stepped a run up out, she was no longer on the mats by at least ten metres. "Are you sure-"  
  
"Relax." She took a five step run up and started her routine off the mats. She flipped, hand springed, tucked, landed and then rolled before standing up and twist somersaulting. She then back flipped four times back rolled and ended in a handstand that she held for one minute before standing on her feet.  
  
The whole Gym was quiet until Mr Turada began to clap. The class joined in except Sammie who looked furious.  
  
"Nicely done Tia, I see the Australian sport really is some of the best." Mr Turada began the class on some Gymnastics exercises.  
  
At the end of the class Tia re emerged from the change room, Kai, Ray, Johnny and Tala watched her as she walked out of the Gym and headed for the Café.  
  
"She is totally weird," Tala said making a mental gesture with his hand.  
  
"Yeah, but I am so glad she put Sammie in her place, I have never seen her fume like that," Ray said with a laugh, heading for the senior study.  
  
"Doesn't she get the point that you already have a girl?" Tala asked smugly, watching as Sammie ran over to them.  
  
"Oh Ray, isn't that new girl a total loser? She so thinks she's so good but she's not," Sammie said clinging to his arm.  
  
"Actually I thought she was quite good. She certainly performed better than you," Johnny replied and they laughed, leaving Sammie looking dumbfounded. They walked into the senior study and were greeted by the rest of the year.  
  
"Hey guys, so what was Tia like?" a boy wearing a baseball cap asked smugly.  
  
"What? You all ready to sink your claws into her Michael?" Ray said sitting down next to a blonde haired Italian who had his arm around yet another bleached blonde.  
  
"Well, she looks good enough," Michael retorted.  
  
"She totally looks like a grunge fest," the blonde said from beside Enrique.  
  
"You think so Gloria? I like her style," said another girl with black hair from across the lounge area.  
  
"I'm with Nanasi," her friend said nodding.  
  
"Who cares," said Oliver walking in with Max. They were both carrying plates full of freshly prepared meals.  
  
"Ho yeah!" exclaimed Tyson jumping up as Max walked over and handed him one.  
  
"What did you blow up this time?" asked Kai snidely as Oliver gave one of his to Robert.  
  
"Your Viper, sorry dude," said Oliver with a cheeky grin. Kai growled and then turned his attention to a girl hanging off his arm.  
  
"Would you two get a room?" exclaimed Bryan. Kai gave him the finger and continued.  
  
"That has got to be the grossest thing I've seen at this school so far," a voice said from the door. Tia had just walked in and sat next to Oliver.  
  
"Did you have fun in SLR?" he asked watching her sneer at Kai.  
  
"No, I see you had fun in Food tech though," she said motioning towards his highly decorated plate.  
  
"Want to try some? Its sushi," he replied handing her one. She shook her head.  
  
"I do to raw food prefer cooked food, although I don't mind sushi but I'm not in the mood for sushi today," she replied opening her salad.  
  
"So Tia isn't it?" the black haired girl began sitting across from her. "What does your dad do in the RAAF?"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Oh, sorry, very rude of me. My names Nanasi," she replied.  
  
"He's a mechanic and pilot," she replied coldly.  
  
"Hey cwool does ge fwy fwighter jets?" asked Tyson with his mouth full of food.  
  
"Tyson!"  
  
"Yeah, so what?" she replied  
  
"Just wondering, what have you got next?" Nanasi asked.  
  
"Art," she replied.  
  
Kai was in her next class, along with Oliver and Nanasi. Tala was also in the class but had to go home early.  
  
"Tia Shenohi isn't it?" their teacher, Mr Longreach, asked politely as she walked in with Oliver. Her face remained expressionless as she looked at him with a steely glare.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"We're working on art pieces on indigenous culture," he replied handing her a book on Australia art work. She looked at it blankly. "You'll need this."  
  
"I don't think so," she replied and walked to a seat next to Oliver who had taken out his to continue. She opened her art book, where several scrawls were already visible and opened to a new page.  
  
"Don't you think you should have one of those as a guide?" Oliver asked pointing to his book that was open to a picture of a wall painting.  
  
"I don't think I lived in Australia for fourteen years to learn nothing," she replied beginning to draw.  
  
By the end of the lesson she had finished a picture she'd drawn many times.  
  
"What a piece of art!" Mr Longreach said taking the sheet she handed to him. "Where did you learn to draw like that?"  
  
"I've lived in Australia for fourteen years."  
  
"I see, what does this depict?"  
  
"Contrast of evil and good, the city verses the rugged outback, destruction verse beauty." Everyone was listening to the pair and looking at her drawing of lines and dots that shaped two very different scenes that collided to form an amazing picture. She returned to her seat until the bell went and then left with Oliver.  
  
"I really liked your drawing," said Oliver as they walked into their English class room. Both were in the advanced class so most of her class mates Tia didn't know.  
  
"That's Robert," Oliver said pointing out the purple haired boy who was leaning back on his chair. "He's English."  
  
"Ah ha," she replied in a bored tone.  
  
"That's Kenny, or The Chief. Really smart kid never goes any where without his lap top," he said nodding towards the sandy haired boy who had spoken to her earlier in the day.  
  
"I see."  
  
"That's Bryan, he's actually smarter than he looks," he said pointing to another boy moving to sit next to Robert. He was dressed like Kai and Tala, a baggy shirt and baggy pants, all fashionable of course, but not in Tia's book.  
  
"Anyone else?" Tia asked in disinterest.  
  
"Yeah, Emily and Hilary. They're both know it alls, but they're usually pretty nice."  
  
"Right, I'll avoid them then shall I?" Oliver laughed nervously until their English teacher entered.  
  
Tia's last lesson was science, again with Oliver but also Kai, Hilary, Emily, Robert, Johnny, Ray and the cheerleaders and a few Jocks.  
  
"Another boring science lesson," moaned Sammie to Ray.  
  
"Barbie, shut it before I do it for you," Tia sneered from her position slumped in her chair. Sammie looked furious but didn't say anything as the teacher walked in.  
  
"Tia? You're father said you need to drive to the RAAF base to pick up your RAAF pass after school," the teacher said singling her out as she picked up her chalk. "He also mentioned something about flight sim and jet training. I don't know."  
  
Tia sat up sharply at this.  
  
"Flight Sim?" she said to herself.  
  
"What's up?" Oliver asked.  
  
"Hm? Oh nothing," she replied and slumped back in her chair as the teacher droned on and on about the combining nature of the metals.  
  
At the end of the day Kai, Ray, Bryan, Raein; Kai's tonsil hockey partner and Michael walked out to the student car park where they met up with Enrique and his blonde, Lee, Gary, Kevin, Robert and Nanasi.  
  
"How's the Viper going?" asked Gary looking over the black sports car.  
  
"I just put in my new head deck," Kai replied opening it and putting in his Meteora CD.  
  
"Nice," Gary replied. The others all crowded around and chatted as the school emptied. Tia soon walked out, Oliver behind her.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow Tia!" he shouted as she made her way to a corner of the car park. She waved her hand in response but didn't turn around as he headed for the others.  
  
"You cannot tell me that girl is not weird," Bryan said sitting on his car. They heard an engine rev.  
  
"What is that? I have never heard an engine sound that powerful before," said Lee looking around as he stood up from Gary's car. A green car that no one had ever seen before sped past them, its engine loud, roaring like a lion.  
  
"Did you see who was driving it?" Michael asked as they shielded their eyes from the dust.  
  
"I did," Nanasi spoke up from her seat in Gary's car. "It was Tia, the new girl."  
  
"What kind of car was that?" Kevin exclaimed as they still heard it tearing down the street.  
  
"I don't know, I've never seen one before," Nanasi replied, who was a bit of a petrol head.  
  
"Who cares, let's get out of here," Gary said climbing into his WRX.  
  
"I'm up for that!" Johnny shouted getting onto his bike. They all careened out of the car park. ``````  
  
Please review me and let me know whether I should keep going. I'm thinking this is going to definitely go into a higher rating, so listen up okay.  
  
Luv yall  
  
Krayon 


	2. Tia's Arrival part two: Her home

Ha ha! I write again! Trying something different this time. Don't know how it will go. Please let me know what you think! I don't own Beyblade by the way, just Tia Shenohi and her father and Rosie and Celia. Oh yeah and Nanasi and Tiana and Sammie and Raein, but who really cares about them? `````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 2  
  
When Johnny eventually got home after zooming around town for awhile he noticed that the removalists that had been parked in the driveway that was linked to the next unit were gone.  
  
It was about five so he decided to go in and see what his mother had prepared for them that night. He lived with his mother, had never known his dad and loathed his grandfather sometimes who came to visit and was somehow related to the McClouds, although Johnny himself wasn't related to the McClouds.  
  
"Hey mum, what's happening?" he shouted walking in the door and up to his room.  
  
"Hi Johnny, dinner's nearly ready," she replied in her thick Scottish accent from the kitchen. He followed her voice and kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"I see the movers have finally finished," Johnny said setting the table.  
  
"No one's moved in yet," his mother replied. "They said they wouldn't actually be moving in until late tonight, or early tomorrow morning."  
  
"Ah phooey for them. We got a new chick at school today, weirdo girl. Goes for this grunge look with no black."  
  
"Sounds interesting make sure you do your homework after dinner."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Tia drove to the base and met her dad at the gate.  
  
"What's the deal?" she demanded getting out of her car.  
  
"They got a flight sim and want you to try it," her father replied handing her a card.  
  
"Err.hello, you're the qualified one, I'm not," she replied crankily.  
  
"Well, they said it would be better if a less experienced person tested it out," he replied.  
  
"Then they got the wrong person haven't they!" she exclaimed angrily. "I'm just as experienced as you and besides, they'd be better off getting one of the motor pool to check it over wouldn't they?"  
  
"Calm down girl, just do it. I've already had a go, it was fun."  
  
"Fine, but then you buy me whatever I want for dinner. And then we head to the new house."  
  
The next morning Johnny woke to the sound of a roaring engine, it was close by too. He got up and looked at the time; he was going to be late to school.  
  
"Damn it!" he shouted and had a shower before changing and heading downstairs.  
  
"Johnny! It's about time, I've got to get to work, I tried waking you several times but you wouldn't budge."  
  
"Sorry mum, I'll lock up," he said hurriedly getting his things together.  
  
"The neighbours are in too, but they've both left for wherever they're headed," she added walking out the door.  
  
Johnny got onto his bike and sped to school; Ray, Kai, Tala, Bryan and Robert were waiting in the car park.  
  
"What took you so long?" Kai said snidely.  
  
"I slept in, so sue me," he replied coldly.  
  
"Aha, sleep strikes again," Bryan drawled before being whacked over the head by a ball. "Stupid kids!"  
  
"You coming for soccer practice this afternoon?" Ray asked Kai as they walked into the school gates.  
  
"Yeah, didn't the coach say something about a new player? Don't see why we need one," Bryan added.  
  
"Yeah, got to agree with you there," Kai said as they walked to swipe on. "We haven't lost the premiership in the last three years, just because Ian left town doesn't mean we're going to start now."  
  
"But it's always useful to have another player, what if someone gets hurt?" Ray said pointing out the reason they were really trialling new players.  
  
"Hello, earth to Ray, we're the one's that hurt people, remember?" Johnny replied reminding Ray of the time he broke another player's leg. Ray scowled and ignored their jeers as they headed back to the cars for a few minutes while everyone else arrived.  
  
"I hear that you and Raein are hitting it rough," Enrique said to Kai joining them as they walked past the senior study.  
  
"What's it to you Giancarlo?" Kai hissed in reply.  
  
"Just rumour mill, thought I'd better get it straight from the horse's mouth," Enrique said holding his arms up in surrender. Kai was about to reply when the roar of an engine could be heard down the street.  
  
"Hey, I think it's the new girl's car," Bryan said as they hurried to the car park. Sure enough, the green car was on its way down the street.  
  
"That has one sweet sounding engine," said Nanasi appearing next to Tala.  
  
"Hey, I haven't spoken to you for a while, what's doing?"  
  
"I'm about to go and see if she'll take me for a spin," Nanasi said walking into the car park where Tia was parking her car.  
  
"What?" Tala asked in confusion.  
  
"That car apparently belongs to the new girl," Johnny said emphasizing apparently and blowing it off. "Personally I don't believe one word of it."  
  
"Then eat your words Johnny," Ray replied nodding his head in the direction of the car park. Sitting in the driver's seat with the window down, talking to Nanasi was Tia. She had some fashion glasses on and her hair tied up, but she still wore the same camouflage style, this time in the form of a camouflage top with "Commando hot" on the front.  
  
"I'd like to know what sort of car that is," Ray said and watched as Oliver climbed out of the passenger side.  
  
"Hey Oliver!" Tala shouted as he entered the school, taking something from Tia as Nanasi got in.  
  
"What?" Oliver asked a hurried expression on his face.  
  
"What kind of car is that?" Ray asked as they approached, Tia sped out of the car park.  
  
"It's an Australian model, Holden. When she comes back ask her yourself," Oliver said hurrying up the stairs and into the school.  
  
"As if, that car is no where good as mine," Kai said defensively as she pulled back into the car park. The engine roared loudly as she revved it one more time before shutting it down.  
  
"Let's get out of here," said Johnny turning around. They turned around and walked back into the school.  
  
They went to the senior study and met up with the others.  
  
"Hey, I heard the new chicks got a hot car," said Eddy from his seat by the fridge.  
  
"Yeah! It's great!" said Oliver as he walked in the door.  
  
"What sort is it?" asked Emily in interest.  
  
"She told me, I can't remember exactly, I got an idea," Oliver said looking for someone. "Hey Chief, get over here."  
  
"Hi Oliver what's up?" asked Kenny walking over.  
  
"I need you to look up something for me, look up the latest model of Holden to come out," Oliver said as Kenny put his lap top on the small table in front of them. Kenny typed away and then waited for a moment.  
  
"The latest is called a Holden Commodore, VY, the highest level you can get one is a SS Club sport," he said reading the stats on the hottest car in Australia. "Whoa, this car is loaded, it's one of the most powerful cars in the world, powered by a V8 engine and aerodynamically produced. They even have a race with them in it every year, called the V8 championships."  
  
"Doesn't sound too bad," said Eddy as Tia walked in.  
  
"Unlike your face," Johnny laughed. Tia shot him a nasty look.  
  
"Hey cuz," Eddy said as she sat next to him. "They were just telling me about the car you got. I never thought it was that great."  
  
"Got a new one, best selling model in Australia, could kick your car to the ground in one second," she replied glaring at Kai and Johnny.  
  
"Any chance of a lift home then? My car is getting detailed as we speak," he said putting his hands behind his head.  
  
"I suppose, I'm giving Oliver a lift anyway," she replied shrugging as the bell went.  
  
"What have you got first?" Oliver asked looking at his timetable.  
  
"Modern History."  
  
"Ugh, how can you stand that subject?" Sammie said flicking her hair over her shoulder. She was now clinging to Michael who didn't mind unlike Ray.  
  
"I could ask you how you can stand jumping up and down in tiny skirts while guys goggle your features that don't involve your face, but I already know the answer," Tia replied coldly standing up with Eddy.  
  
The whole time Kai, Johnny, Tala, Bryan, Ray, Lee and Nanasi were staring at Tia and Eddy.  
  
"I can't believe those two are cousins," Nanasi said recovering first and walking out with them.  
  
"Believe it," said Kai in reply.  
  
"Anyway, what was her car like?" asked Ray as they headed for Ancient history.  
  
"Oh my god! That car is a machine and a half. She pumped it all the way down the highway and back, she's got a killer deck in there too. Sorry Kai, but her car is slightly in a higher league than yours," Nanasi said smiling smugly.  
  
"Get lost junkie," he said pushing her into a door way. She glared at him before walking into her classroom.  
  
"Hey Robert!" Bryan shouted as he was about to disappear into a classroom. The purple haired boy looked for his caller.  
  
"Hello, how are you?" he asked in his thick British accent.  
  
"Hey good, what have you got?"  
  
"Modern History, why?" he replied eyeing him suspiciously.  
  
"Oh, you're in the same class as Tia," Bryan said looking at the others.  
  
"Yes, she's here already," Robert said looking into the class room. The others peeked in. Sure enough she was sitting in her seat, speaking with Mr Lawson, the Modern History teacher.  
  
"Hey, Tia!" Bryan shouted waving. She looked at him, frowned and then ignored him, returning to her conversation with Mr Lawson.  
  
"Ooh, rejected," said Robert with a smirk before going into the classroom.  
  
They spent the first two periods in their classes, but most of them had a free after recess so they all sat in the senior study, except a few who had PE. Tia was sitting at a desk, working on something with her earphones in.  
  
"What's she doing?" asked Ray as he sat next to Oliver who was working on his math homework.  
  
"Dunno, we don't have any Art homework, she's probably just doodling," Oliver replied as the girl with Enrique squealed, throwing something away. It hit Tia, splattering all over her work.  
  
"Uh oh," said Eddy standing up. Tia stood up, taking her earphones out. All over her art work was covered in red ink; it was splattered on her face, red streaks across her face. She turned to the blonde and Enrique.  
  
"Dude, I'd get her out of here," Oliver said to Eddy who was standing with Ray and Tala. Tia was clenching her fists, grinding her teeth as she glared at the pair who was watching in a corner.  
  
"Oh gee, I'm really sorry," said the blonde in a high sweet voice, sounding totally insincere.  
  
"Tia." Eddy warned as she took a step forward.  
  
"Ah let her explode," Johnny smirked from a corner where he was holding a brunette with blonde streaks. Tia shut her eyes and the released her fists, her mouth relaxing slightly.  
  
"Yeah, the little blonde brat might learn the difference between naughty and nice, like for instance, messing with Tia Shenohi isn't a good thing," Eddy hissed in Enrique's direction. He got the point and shoved the girl roughly from the room.  
  
Tia blinked and sat back down, trying to salvage her art piece.  
  
"You okay Tia?" asked Eddy in concern.  
  
"Fine, why do you ask?" she replied seeming totally unconcerned. She wiped the page clean, leaving red streaks on her page, but that didn't seem to bother her too much. "Hmm, looks better like this."  
  
"Are you sure?" Eddy persisted. "I mean, you're not the type to sit down and leave something."  
  
"Che.trust me, I won't be leaving it," she replied, a steely glint appearing her eyes as she glared at her cousin.  
  
"Oh dear," Eddy said as she swept past him to go and wash her face.  
  
"Psycho," Kai muttered from his corner with Raein clinging to his arm.  
  
"That girl looked like she could kill someone," Raein said in a high and annoying voice.  
  
"She probably could have," Eddy replied glaring at the cheerleader. "She's come close to killing me before."  
  
"Serious?" Oliver asked in surprise.  
  
"No, she just beat the crap out of me," Eddy replied shrugging.  
  
"Oh."  
  
The next class was Design and Technology, Tia and Nanasi were the only girls in the class of eleven. Their teacher Mr Castel was very happy to talk to Tia about her past projects in Australia and she spent most of the lesson drawing different versions of her projects for him.  
  
After the class Nanasi and Tia left to go and get something to eat in town. Kai, Robert, Tala and Johnny were all in the car park talking; Raein was clinging to Kai as usual. They were also leaning on Tia's car.  
  
"Hey guys, check it out," Kai said nodding towards Tia who didn't look very happy.  
  
"Oh, hello Tia," said Raein who had been in her SLR class and was quite happy she had performed better than Sammie. Tia glared at her and then unlocked the car, ignoring the boys looking her up and down. Apart from the commando top she had on she was wearing a short box pleat skirt in khaki.  
  
"Get off the car," she hissed as she shut the door. Johnny didn't move. He leant down in the window.  
  
"This car a little to high class for a girl like you to be driving isn't it?" he said with a smirk.  
  
"That bandanna's on a little too tightly isn't it Flame brain?" she replied and turned on the car. Music pumped out of the subwoofers and the engine roared to life, making Johnny jump back. Tia smirked and sped out of the car park.  
  
"She is a little.Argh!" exclaimed Johnny, running his hand through his hair.  
  
"Just because you got rejected," Tala said with a laugh.  
  
"Shut it," Johnny said and left in a huff.  
  
"Ooh, poor Johnny, she's not very nice," Raein said frowning as Johnny stormed back into the school.  
  
"I think she's pretty cool," Robert replied turning to watch as the car drove past on the highway.  
  
"Yeah, cold hearted," Kai sneered.  
  
"She's nice, in her own way," Bryan replied.  
  
When Tia returned, Nanasi and her went to their last class, SLR for Tia. Sammie was sitting cross legged in the change room, filing her nails and talking loudly. She frowned at Tia as she walked in.  
  
"Oh look, it's G.I. Jane," she said snidely standing up. The other girls all looked nervously at Tia to see what she'd do.  
  
"It's nice to see you too Sammie," Tia replied taking out her sports uniform. Sammie seemed slightly taken a back that she hadn't called her Barbie.  
  
"And what abilities will you be showing off to us today?" Sammie sneered.  
  
"The ability to kick your ass in anything you try," Tia said sweetly before walking into a cubicle to change. Sammie looked furious and slammed her nail file into her bag roughly before storming out. Tia came out and walked out, Raein tagging along behind her.  
  
"Today we'll have a game of Volleyball," Mr Turada announced trying to set up a net.  
  
"Give us a go sir," Ray said taking the rope and jumping up so the rope would catch the hook. He tied it and then helped with the other side.  
  
"Anyone here played Volleyball? Beach Volleyball or anything?" Mr Turada asked marking the roll.  
  
"Yeah," Tia sighed. Mr Turada looked up; he hadn't expected anyone to answer.  
  
"Oh, well I thought you might," he replied smiling. "What sort?"  
  
"Both," she replied shortly, looking at the net that flapped softly in the breeze.  
  
"Well, you'll be happy to know that we don't play by all those complicated rules, we'll be playing three hit, out and the usual scoring rules," he said putting his folder on a bench.  
  
"Whose captains' sir?" asked Tala stretching his arms.  
  
"Err.you and Ray I think," he replied looking around.  
  
The teams ended up being Tala, Kai, Raein, Johnny, Sammie, Tina, Susie, Miriam and Michael verses Ray, Lee, Tia, Riana, Gary, Reece, Bryan, Tyson and Max.  
  
"Ok, Ray's team to serve," Mr Turada said standing next to the net.  
  
"Here Tia, you do it," Ray said throwing her the ball. She sighed and went back to the service line before throwing it in the air and then hitting it with the palm of her hand. It shot over the net straight at Sammie. She screamed and ducked, it hit the ground.  
  
"Nice one!" laughed Ray as the other team groaned.  
  
"Get your act together Blondie," sneered Johnny as he picked up the ball and tossed it back to Ray. Tia served again, straight back at Sammie, this time she tried to hit it, only to have it bounce up and hit her in the face.  
  
"Ow!" she shouted. "I broke a nail and almost broke my nose." Ray and Tala were doing their best not to laugh too loud.  
  
"Come on Sammie, get into it," said Mr Turada. Johnny sneered and tossed the ball back to Ray again.  
  
"Better give them a chance Tia," Ray said giving it back to her.  
  
"Fine." She served it again, with a lot more force straight at Raein. She squealed but managed to hit it up so that someone else could lob it over.  
  
"It's about time!" shouted Lee as Kai stepped forward to knock it over the net. It flew over the front line which was Ray, Lee, Gary, Tyson and Max. Tia stepped forward and punched it back over from the front line.  
  
"Nice hit!" exclaimed Mr Turada. It was heading straight for Sammie.  
  
"Nice aiming," said Ray with a laugh, but Johnny jumped in front of her and hit at Riana. Riana knocked it up so Tia could hit it back. She shot it straight at Sammie yet again, by Johnny again knocked it back over. Ray hit it up and Lee spiked it down at Johnny's feet.  
  
"Damn!" shouted Johnny diving, but hitting it into the net.  
  
"This is just too easy," said Lee high fiving Ray. Ray tossed the ball back to Tia, who took aim again, she served it straight at Miriam who squealed and ducked, but she was on the back line.  
  
"Out!" announced Mr Turada. Kai and Tala cheered while Johnny sneered at Tia.  
  
"Not so good now are you?" he said smirking. She glared at him coldly before changing places and moving across to where Riana had been.  
  
"You and me huh Tia?" Riana said. Tia nodded but didn't look at her. Tala served, it aimed straight at Riana. She knocked it into the air for Tia who lunged forward and knocked it in front of Gary. Gary barely jumped but it still headed for the ground in front of Michael. He lunged forward and was able to knock it up for Kai who lobbed it over.  
  
"Ray!" shouted Lee, but Ray was on the back foot. He fell down, and they watched as the ball headed for the ground. At the last minute Tia dove across Riana, hit the ball up for Riana and rolled on the cement floor. Riana hit it back over the net as Tia stood up.  
  
"You okay Ray?" she asked brushing herself down.  
  
"I was about to ask you the same thing," he replied, his face was shocked to see her okay. Sammie missed the ball and it hit the ground. Her team groaned.  
  
Nanasi waited for Tia outside the canteen where they'd been playing. She had caught the last ten minutes of their lesson. Mr Turada had decided they should have a game of singles. Tia had played against Johnny, and both had been diving around on the concrete.  
  
Mr Turada had finally decided that it was getting to dangerous when Johnny made it hit her in the face and had said they should play pairs as it would be a lot safer. Naturally he was wrong.  
  
Riana and Tia had played against Johnny and Kai; both boys had started a verbal fight as well as a physical one when Tia and Riana kept out playing them. Tia had ended up being knocked to the ground when the ball was pegged at her legs as she tried to jump.  
  
"Hey Tia," Nanasi said as she walked out with Riana. Tia was definitely not in a good mood.  
  
"Whatever," she said and they walked to her car where Oliver and Eddy were waiting.  
  
"Bye Tia, don't worry we'll get them next time," Riana said leaving with her boyfriend.  
  
"Hey Tia!" a voice shouted from behind her. It was Ray; he had separated from Kai and Johnny who was walking with Bryan, Michael, Tala and Raein.  
  
"What do you want?" she asked coldly. He hadn't exactly jumped up to help her, although he did yell at Johnny several times to stop.  
  
"Just wanted to see if you were alright," he replied, slowing down.  
  
"I'm fine, and you can tell your buddies back there that they'd better watch themselves, they may get a nasty surprise." And with that she unlocked the car and waited for Eddy and Oliver to finish talking with her Linkin Park CD turned up all the way.  
  
"That girl has a real attitude problem," said Kai, glaring at her while she ignored him.  
  
"She's not that bad," Bryan said who actually thought she was quite nice, when she wasn't being cold or nasty.  
  
"Forget about her," Ray said returning to the group. "Let's think about training this afternoon, we're trialling the new player."  
  
"Yeah, well I don't care. We don't need any new players," Johnny sneered, still glaring at Tia as she started the car. She sped out of the car park.  
  
"I really like her car," said Raein as it sped down the road.  
  
"Did I just hear right? Raein just said she liked a car?" a pink haired girl said appearing next to Ray.  
  
"Mariah! How come you're here?" he asked in surprise.  
  
"School was let out early today, whose car was that?" she asked referring to Tia's Holden.  
  
"New girl, little bitch," Johnny hissed.  
  
"Must be cool, if you don't like her," Mariah replied matter of factly. Johnny glared at her and then got onto his bike.  
  
"I'll catch you guys at training," he said coldly putting down his visor and starting the engine. He sped out the car park.  
  
"Yeah, come on," Kai said to Ray and they got into his Viper and sped out after Johnny.  
  
Johnny pulled up in his driveway. His mother was out the front talking to a man in a military uniform.  
  
"Hello Johnny, what took you so long?" she asked as he got off his bike.  
  
"I stopped off at Oliver's café to have a cappuccino," Johnny replied taking his bag out of the back.  
  
"This is Simon, he's just moved in next door," she said introducing the man. He shook Johnny's hand.  
  
"Nice to meet you kid, nice bike too," he said nodding towards Johnny's Honda.  
  
"Thanks," Johnny said liking him immediately. There was a roar down the road. "Oh great," he said recognising the roar.  
  
"What's wrong?" his mother asked frowning.  
  
"The new chick at school's a real pain and that noise is her car," Johnny explained grimacing as he slung his bag over his shoulder. Simon raised an eyebrow. The green machine, as the kids at school had come to name the car roared around the corner and slowed down. "What the hell is she doing here?"  
  
"Ah.here she comes now," he said to Johnny's mother. Johnny froze as she pulled into the driveway. She turned off the music and then revved the engine once more before turning the car off. She frowned as she got out of the car.  
  
"Hi Tia, have a nice day at school?" Simon asked his teenage daughter as she picked up her bag and took off her shades.  
  
"Not particuly," she replied locking the car. She walked past Johnny.  
  
"Hang on," Simon said as she was about to walk inside. She sighed and stopped, walked back down the path and stopped in front of Johnny's mother.  
  
"How do you do? My name is Tia, it's a pleasure to meet you Mrs McGregor," she said bowing and waited for a response.  
  
"It's nice to meet you too Tia, please ignore my son's rude quandary and feel free to come and visit whenever you please," Mrs McGregor replied shaking Tia's hand. Tia looked at Johnny with a nasty glare and then continued inside.  
  
"You were saying Johnny?" asked his mother. He stormed inside and went to his room.  
  
"Ah.children," said Mrs McGregor.  
  
"I'll talk to you another time Rosie," Simon said and hurried inside.  
  
``````  
  
Please review me and let me know whether I should keep going. I'm thinking this is going to definitely go into a higher rating, so listen up okay.  
  
Luv yall  
  
Krayon 


	3. Surprises possibly?

I've decided to kepp writing to this story just for the sake of it. I don't care if you hate it, but if you do like it, and would like to give me a few more ideas please review and let me know.  
  
`````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 3 `````` "Tia!" he shouted up the stairs.  
  
"Yes?" she asked appearing behind him.  
  
"Ayah! Don't do that!"  
  
"Sorry," she replied flatly. "Hope I wasn't too rude to Mrs McGregor."  
  
"Don't worry, she didn't mind much. What's the deal with the kid though?" he asked as they walked into the kitchen.  
  
"One of the many players in the school by my calculations," she replied as he took out two glasses from the cupboard. She pulled a bottle of coke out of the fridge.  
  
"I see," he said raising an eyebrow. "So you immediately set about making him your enemy?" he asked as she handed him a cup.  
  
"He did, not me," she replied flatly, she screwed her nose up as she took a sip.  
  
"What's up with you?" he asked as she shook her head.  
  
"I hate the bubbles when I first drink," she replied, making him snort with laughter. "Shut up and let's check out the pool."  
  
Being the end of winter it was still pretty cold, but that didn't worry neither, although they didn't go swimming. Johnny watched them from his window.  
  
"Little bitch," he said to himself as she checked the temperature of the water. The pool was mainly on her side of the yard, he had most of the grassed area, which they used for games of soccer when Ian lived next door. He heard his mother calling him from downstairs and jumped down the stairs.  
  
"Johnny!"  
  
"I'm here!" he exclaimed arriving through the door.  
  
"Oh good, don't forget you have soccer training this afternoon," she said making him a drink.  
  
"Don't worry, my gears in the car already," he replied taking it from her.  
  
"Why were you so rude about Tia?" she asked leaning on the counter.  
  
"I wasn't rude! She started it all!" he said defensively. "She rocks up to the school and is rude to everyone, even the ones that are her friends now."  
  
"Well, her father says that she was well respected at her last school," his mother replied watching them out the window.  
  
"Well, her father mustn't know her very well," Johnny muttered and walked back out and put his bike in the garage, before walking to the car where he got in and listened to the stereo before heading out to the soccer fields on the other side of town. He didn't notice Tia run out with her father chasing her with the hose.  
  
"Hey, there's Johnny!" shouted Ray as he; Kai, Bryan, Enrique and Robert kicked the ball around waiting for the others and the coach. They waited for Johnny to lock his car and join them and noticed immediately he wasn't in a good mood.  
  
"What's up Johnny?" asked Bryan as he caught the ball the Robert kicked to him.  
  
"G.I. Jane, that's what," he replied sharply.  
  
"Who?" asked Ray in confusion.  
  
"Tia!"  
  
"What did the little brat do now?" asked Kai juggling the ball.  
  
"She's gone and moved in next door," Johnny replied putting on his boots and shin pads.  
  
"Say what? Tia's moved into Ian's house?" Enrique asked in surprise. "Well that puts you in a fine predicament doesn't it?"  
  
"I'll say, imagine the fights they'll be able to get into without us there to stop them," Ray said with a laugh.  
  
"Shut it Ray."  
  
"I'm shutting it, here comes Tala and Michael," he said nodding to the pair running down the stairs.  
  
"Guess what I heard!" Michael said excitedly, his dad was the coach of the team.  
  
"What?" asked Robert in a bored tone.  
  
"The new player was apart of a national team that's competing in the under 21's world cup this year," he replied.  
  
"Must be pretty good then," Enrique said thoughtfully.  
  
"Don't know who they are?" asked Johnny finally missing the ball.  
  
"Nah, dad won't say. Reckons it's a surprise, apparently visited yesterday while I was out," Michael replied as his father walked towards the group.  
  
"Howdy fellas, looking forward to training tonight? Get to put the newbie through their paces," he said rubbing his hands together. "Where are Lee and the others?"  
  
"Right here," he replied appearing at his side, Gary, Kevin and two other boys from another school, Rojer and Jose.  
  
"Good, now we just have to.oh there they are," he said as a figure ran towards the group.  
  
"Hang on," said Ray narrowing his eyes. "If I'm not mistaken that's a-"  
  
"Girl!" exclaimed Enrique immediately.  
  
"Her names Tia Shenohi," Coach said as she approached.  
  
"You are joking right?" asked Kai with a scoff. "Johnny and I beat her to a pulp in SLR today; there is no way she'll be able to keep up with us."  
  
"Err.Kai you did have a advantage to the fact that you and Johnny were against her and Riana, and we all know Riana isn't the best at sports," Ray replied pointing out the disadvantage Tia was in.  
  
"So?"  
  
"She seemed alright to me, her father showed up with her last night and introduced themselves," coach said as she finally caught up.  
  
"Hi Tia!" said Ray brightly. Tia seemed to scowl at Johnny and Kai but turned to Ray with a slight smile.  
  
"How are you?" she asked pleasantly enough.  
  
"Great! I hope you're ready for a good training session tonight boys, because Tia father has volunteered to assistant coach for us this year," coach said happily.  
  
"He did?" Tia asked in surprise.  
  
"Yeah, said he liked to boss around younger kids instead of those young ones you get in the RAAF," he said with a laugh.  
  
"Okay, then why did he make me run all the way here then?" she asked and turned around as her father's car pulled up in the car park. He had a silver four wheel drive. She seemed to glare at the car before turning back to the group.  
  
"I suppose most of you know Tia from school, Jose and Rojer, you won't but her dad's assured me she won't kill anyone," coach said with a laugh. They smiled nervously at her.  
  
"Paul!" shouted Simon as he jogged across the field. "How are you?"  
  
"Not bad Simon, everyone, Tia's father Simon," Paul replied introducing Simon to the group of boys that were all about the same height if not slightly taller than him.  
  
"Hello Johnny, I didn't know you played soccer," he said seeing Johnny in the group.  
  
"Hello Simon," Johnny said dully. Tia glared at him, but he glared back, not letting her get the better of him.  
  
"Tia, you might like to get your gear on so you can warm up with the boys," said Paul getting cones and soccer balls out of the bag he was carrying. She nodded and sat down to put on her stuff while the boys continued to pass around a ball, playing hacky sack.  
  
"Well Tia, at least you know most of the people on the team," her father said kneeling beside her.  
  
"You say that like it's a good thing," she replied half heartedly.  
  
"Oh come on, all these guys can't be that bad," he said giving her a shove. She swiped a piece of wet hair out of her face.  
  
"Apart from the two that I don't know, it is very possible that they are," she replied standing up. She was wearing a camouflage shirt with her name scrawled in a graffiti tag on the front and black soccer shorts.  
  
"Hurry up Tia!" shouted Bryan, they were getting ready to go for laps.  
  
"Coming dad?" They hurried after the group.  
  
They ran three laps around the field, Tia jogging along with her dad happily, not showing any signs of tiring. Then they set about doing passing drills, Tia working with Ray and showing that she indeed had great skill.  
  
"Michael told me you play for the Australian under 21 side that's playing in the world cup this year," Ray said as he stopped the ball.  
  
"I did play for them, but I gave up on the politics of it," she replied flicking it back up so he could stop it again.  
  
"Oh? More like you got kicked out," said Kai running past. She glared at him as he did a step over before passing it back to Johnny.  
  
"Don't worry about him," Ray said beginning to juggle the ball. They began a running drill next, Ray and Tia played defence while other pairs had to try and get past the pair of them.  
  
"Aw, poor Tia's a back, what a shame," said Kai as she stopped Bryan and Tala from getting past her and Ray.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Jose asked.  
  
"Means I can't smash her when she tries to get the ball past me," he sneered with a laugh.  
  
"Problem there Kai is Tia is a utility player in anything she does and you'd have to catch her first," Simon said walking past with a bright smile.  
  
"Utility player?' he asked in confusion.  
  
"I think you guys might call her an all rounder," Simon said scratching his head as she slid tackled Michael.  
  
"Kai and Johnny!" shouted Paul as Michael struggled to his feet having had the ball knocked away from him. "You're up!"  
  
Johnny knocked the ball to Kai who ran it forward, letting Johnny fall back behind him. Ray ran towards Kai, hoping to make him pass it, but Kai stepped over the ball before slipping it through Ray's legs.  
  
"Nuttied!" shouted the other boys with a laugh. Ray ran after Kai, while Johnny split to the other side. Tia wasn't seen for a second as Kai kicked it over Ray's head. Johnny jumped up to head the ball but out of nowhere Tia appeared and knocked it back towards the half way line and down to her feet. She kicked it back to the next pair.  
  
"Not in this life time McGregor," she said smiling smugly. Johnny stared at her as she walked to take her place at the end of the line.  
  
"Johnny and Kai, you're defending now!" Paul shouted as Tala and Jose and Rojer began their run.  
  
Please review me and let me know whether I should keep going. I'm thinking this is going to definitely go into a higher rating, so listen up okay.  
  
Luv yall  
  
Krayon 


	4. Pool Party

I don't own Beyblades but I own anyone else you don't recognise in this story, so there. Gotta ask if you want to borrow.  
  
`````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 4  
  
`````` After training several of the boys sat down to talk for a while. Tia was talking with Paul and Michael, along with her father.  
  
"She's pretty good," Ray said as Kai took off his boots, throwing them into his bag.  
  
"If you say so," he sneered.  
  
"You're just cranky because she beat you in that race," Lee said with a laugh. It was true, before they had started another drill, Simon had suggested a race, and Tia had won hands down.  
  
"Shut up Lee," Johnny said throwing a tuft of grass at him.  
  
"You're sour because she stopped you from getting the ball in the attack and defence drill and then knocked you down when you were defending," laughed Kevin cheekily.  
  
"You didn't fair much better," added Jose. Kevin had been flattened by Tia, but in his case it had been an accident, she hadn't seen him at all and had stopped straight away to see if he was alright.  
  
"At least she stopped to check on me," Kevin retorted looking in Johnny's direction. Johnny got up as Coach walked over; Tia was leaving with her father.  
  
"So boys, what did you think?" he asked as they all gathered around.  
  
"She's a bitch," said Johnny under his breath. Ray nudged him and glared.  
  
"She's very good, I think she'll do great for the team," said Jose trying not to laugh at Johnny.  
  
"Good, it's good to see you all get on with her," Coach said picking up his bags. "Training again on Thursday, 6pm." He left, Michael hurrying after him.  
  
"Stupid git," said Robert referring to their coach. "He really has no idea about soccer."  
  
"Ah, calm down Robert, it's not the Premier league," Bryan said as they began to drift back to their cars.  
  
"Yeah, but with Tia on the team we are not going to lose this year," Rojer said happily as he and Jose waved to their ride. "Bye." They all left the pitch black field.  
  
Johnny returned home shortly after Tia and her dad. Tia was under her father's car doing something but what Johnny couldn't see. Her father was inside trying to get to the phone before it rung out.  
  
"Enjoy being on the bottom Tia?" Johnny said smugly.  
  
"Get lost McGregor," she replied getting out, grease streaks on her face. She had a spanner in one hand and a cloth in the other.  
  
"Tia! You're not going to believe it!" her father said running out of the house. "Hello Johnny."  
  
"What?" Tia asked in irritation walking away from Johnny, who glared at her before returning to his car.  
  
"That nice lady I've been meeting at the RAAF base?"  
  
"Celia? What about her?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"She only lives one town away from here," he said excitedly.  
  
"Oh, great," said Tia unenthusiastically. She locked the car and walked in the house with her dad talking excitedly. Johnny watched her go and couldn't help laughing at her. He was still laughing when he walked inside.  
  
"Have a nice training dear?" his mother asked from her position in front of the TV.  
  
"Not particuli, but I did have fun just then," he replied before retiring to his room to go on MSN and talk to his friends.  
  
Ducati hunter says: Hey guys, I just had my mood pick up ten fold  
  
That is so uncouth says: Why's that? Did you just meet Britney Spears and she just offered you mouth to shaft?  
  
Fall at my feet says: Yeah, make sure you tell her it's two for one week and then call me.  
  
Ducati hunter says: I wish, but I just saw Shenohi looking very disgruntled. Heh heh.  
  
That is so uncouth says: Why?  
  
Ducati hunter says: cause Simon just told her something about a 'nice lady' and her living 'one town away'.  
  
Fall at my feet says: Damn! I wish I had been there!  
  
That is so uncouth says: that's not very nice, maybe she really doesn't like the lady.  
  
Ducati hunter says: Your point is?  
  
Another name flashed onto the screen. Whee Mon ami? It was Oliver.  
  
Whee Mon ami says: Hey guys, how was training?  
  
Ducati hunter says: Crap, never been so bored in my life.  
  
That is so Uncouth says: Or in Johnny and Kai's case embarrassing.  
  
Oliver must have added someone else. Another name flashed on the screen. I cannot be destroyed, for I am nothing.  
  
"Who's that? Cool name," he said to himself.  
  
Ducati hunter says: Nice name.  
  
Fall at my feet says: Gotta agree there.  
  
I cannot be destroyed for I am nothing says: Let me guess, Ducati hunter and fall at my feet. The dick twins?  
  
Fall at my feet says: What!  
  
Ducati hunter says: Who the hell are you?  
  
That is so uncouth says: Hi Tia.  
  
Kai quickly changed his name. Commando killer.  
  
Commando killer says: You didn't seem so tough before when you found out about 'Nice Lady' now did you?  
  
I cannot be destroyed for I am nothing says: You didn't seem so tough before when I knocked you to your ass did you?  
  
Ducati hunter: What the hell do you think you're doing chatting to us?  
  
Whee Mon ami? says: I added her, nothing wrong with that is there?  
  
That is so uncouth says: course not. What's it like in Australia?  
  
I cannot be destroyed for I am nothing says: Its actually raining right now  
  
Johnny changed his name, hoping to provoke Tia. Get a life G.I. Jane  
  
Get a life G.I. Jane says: Heh, I always thought Australian's were all wet.  
  
I cannot be destroyed for I am nothing says: not much better than those that can only wish they could ride Ducati's. She left the conversation, followed by the others leaving Johnny alone.  
  
"Little bitch."  
  
The next day being a Wednesday meant that several seniors didn't have to go to school Johnny was on MSN again, talking to Tala, Bryan, Kai and Ray who also didn't have classes about what they should do for the day.  
  
Commando killer says: I reckon it's going to be pretty hot today.  
  
Get a life G.I. Jane says: I'm up for the pool or the beach.  
  
Trekkin it large says: How bout your pool? Johnny?  
  
Get a life G.I. Jane says: Sure, be over here at about lunch time and I'll see what I can organise. Of course I'll have to check with G.I. Jane.  
  
Russian it says: I think maybe you should invite her at least, that way she won't argue, and then if she says no it's her loss.  
  
Commando killer says: if she gives me shit I'm going to sock her.  
  
Johnny laughed and signed out. He checked the time and then walked downstairs. His mum was at work, but the fridge had been freshly loaded yesterday so there was plenty to eat and drink.  
  
"Now to ask G.I. Jane," he said with a sneer and disgust. He opened the back door and walked through the side gate to the front. He figured he'd better do it the polite way. He found she was out there already, and she didn't look very happy.  
  
"What do you want McGregor?" she asked sharply not looking around. Johnny couldn't think if he'd done something to alert her that it was him.  
  
"Four storey mansion and to have you as a slave," he replied smugly. She was looking at her car critically. "What's your problem Shenohi?"  
  
"Does this car look like it's in need of a wash?" she asked, still coldly. He turned to look at the Holden. Looked fine to him, and then he noticed something on the hood.  
  
"What happened?" he asked taking a closer look.  
  
"Someone egged it this morning," she replied picking up the hose. She was dressed in green hot pants and a yellow crop top with her lenses on. Her hair was tied back in a messy bun with a yellow and red flower.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Maybe you should ask your friend Fish face," she sneered looking at him coldly.  
  
"Kai is bad, but he respects the car," Johnny said fiercely.  
  
"Fine, then what do you want?" she asked picking up a sponge and washing the hood.  
  
"We're using the pool," he replied shortly as she washed off the egg.  
  
"And you're telling me this because?" she asked moving her head in irritation as the water bounced off and sprayed onto her.  
  
"Do you want to join us?"  
  
"Who else is coming?"  
  
"Well, whoever the others find and drag along," Johnny said becoming thoroughly irritated by her attitude.  
  
"Depends on if I can get this egg off," she replied thoughtfully. "Argh!"  
  
"Try some tar off stupid," he replied adding stupid as an after thought. She glared at him as he walked back inside.  
  
An hour later the others arrived, Tia was still trying to get the car a bit cleaner, but she had also decided to add the sticker she'd gotten several weeks before she'd left Australia. It had a lion combined with a racing driver's helmet, the symbol of the Holden Racing Team.  
  
"Hey Tia, nice sticker," said Bryan as she sat on the boot of the car and was cleaning it with the sticker in her spare hand. She grunted in reply and continued to scrub the back window.  
  
"Coming Bryan?" asked Johnny coldly, glaring at Tia.  
  
"Nah, I'll stay and give Tia a hand with her detail," Bryan said waving him off while Ray sat in the driver's seat looking at her head deck.  
  
"What's the sticker from?" asked Lee as Johnny stormed into the backyard.  
  
"The Champion V8 team in Australia," she replied drying the back window. "Holden Racing Team."  
  
"Hey, cool," Gary said standing up from looking into the car. "I like your head deck."  
  
"Thanks," she replied shortly getting ready to put the sticker on. She drew a small square with her finger on the small area where she would be able to put the sticker on and still see out the window.  
  
"A little higher," said Lee from inside the car. She moved the square a bit higher and then got off the boot. Bryan took one side of the sticker and Tia did the other. When they were finished they stood back and had a look.  
  
"At least it's better than when my dad tried it on my last car," she said finally, walking away.  
  
"Hey are you joining us?" Ray asked as she locked the car.  
  
"Maybe," she replied before walking into the garage and locking it.  
  
"She doesn't say much does she?" asked Robert getting out of his car.  
  
"Ah, a woman of little words," said Oliver getting out of the passenger side. He pulled the seat forward so Nanasi could climb out along with Tiana, Nanasi's friend who had both had a go at Gloria, Enrique's blonde.  
  
"I can't believe poor Tia lives next door to Johnny," Tiana said shutting the door after her.  
  
"Believe it," said Nanasi seeing the Holden on the front lawn. "Wow, I like the sticker."  
  
"Hey guys! Hurry up!" shouted Ray vaulting the wall that separated the two side gates.  
  
In the backyard, Johnny and Kai were sitting on the side of the pool while Tala and Kevin were trying to kill each other in the pool.  
  
"What did she say?" Kai asked seeing Tia walk past a window that looked out from the stair case.  
  
"She didn't really care because some kids egged the green machine," Johnny replied as Ray, Mariah, Lee and Gary walked in. They were soon followed by Nanasi, Tiana, Oliver and Robert.  
  
"Hey, where's Tia?" asked Oliver dumping his stuff on the grass on Johnny's side of the yard.  
  
"Where she should stay," Johnny replied loudly.  
  
"Shut up McGregor," said Nanasi sharply taking her top off to reveal a black bikini. She shoved some board shorts on over the top. Tiana did the same to her dark blue bikini. Mariah was wearing a bright pink one; she didn't wear board shorts and was tying her hair up as she giggled with the other girls.  
  
"Who invited Nanasi anyway?" asked Kevin in annoyance, he never liked her very much, and she was very mean to him and called him Captain Pookie.  
  
"Oliver and Robert I guess, she only lives down the road from them," Bryan replied before diving in. The girls ran and jumped in, splashing the boys as they did so.  
  
"I'd love to see one of the tops go up," Johnny snorted as they re emerged, hair plastered to their face. They must have heard him because they splashed him, barely wetting his board shorts.  
  
He was wearing white and black boardies, a Rip Curl symbol on one leg, Kai was wearing dark blue boardies with a Billabong label on one corner and Tala was wearing bright red ones like Kai's.  
  
"What's that?" Robert asked straining to hear. Tia had turned up her stereo loudly; it was playing Linkin Park yet again.  
  
"Man, she's almost as bad as you Kai," Nanasi said before diving under so Kai couldn't hit her with the stick he was holding.  
  
"What's she mean almost?" Tala asked in confusion.  
  
"I've heard her playing Black Eyed Peas and P!NK a couple of times," Johnny said with a shrug.  
  
"Yeah, at least she's got some taste!" exclaimed Tiana from the other side of the pool.  
  
"Shut up Tiana," Bryan said pushing her in. There was a roar of laughter as she went head first into the water.  
  
"Not nice," a voice said from Tia's house. She was standing at the back patio sliding door. The screen was still shut so they couldn't see her.  
  
"Why don't you come out and join us?" Oliver asked dipping his foot into the water.  
  
"I might later, I've got to do some cooking first," she replied.  
  
"You? Cook?" Johnny sneered.  
  
"Cook me something!" Tyson shouted appearing around the side of the house. There was no reply so they figured she'd returned to doing whatever it was she'd been doing.  
  
Tyson, Max and Kenny had just finished their classes for the day.  
  
"Where are the others?" Kai asked coldly.  
  
"Dunno, they said they'd be round soon though," Kenny replied pushing his glasses up.  
  
"In that case," Ray said and picked Mariah up and jumped in the pool with her screaming.  
  
Please review me and let me know whether I should keep going. I'm thinking this is going to definitely go into a higher rating, so listen up okay.  
  
Luv yall  
  
Krayon 


	5. Unwanted meetins

I'm going to be away for a couple of weeks so guys, sorry that I won't be able to upload any more chapters, I could if I could organise for someone else to do it for me but.you know. I'll be seein ya!  
  
By the way, thanks baby fireball for your review, at least you were nice enough to review my story. Merry Christmas everyone. `````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Unwanted meetings  
  
They were having a game of water volleyball when there was a ring from Tia's house and a thump.  
  
"What was that?" asked Oliver about to check.  
  
"She's fine," said Simon coming out of the house wearing his RAAF uniform. "G'day kids, pool party huh?"  
  
"Hi Simon," said Johnny who was sitting on the edge. "How come you're home?"  
  
"Picking up my lunch from Tia, makes it especially for me," he said waving the container in his hand in the air.  
  
"What happened to Tia? What was that thump?" Nanasi asked anxiously.  
  
"That would be her falling off the bench when I rang the bell and pushed her," he said feeling his jaw. Johnny tried to stifle a laugh. "Trust me Johnny; you don't ever sneak up on the girl when she's cooking."  
  
"I don't plan on going near her when she's in a kitchen," Johnny replied flatly.  
  
"An even smarter plan, although I tell you what the girl can cook. Considering I can't and never taught her," he said thoughtfully before looking at his watch. "Crikey, got to go." He hurried by the side gate. Everyone was watching the gate as it shut.  
  
"Her dad is really Australian huh?" Kevin said finally, making everyone laugh.  
  
"Your point is?" Tia asked sliding back the patio door. She stood in a white bikini with camouflage stripes on either triangle. She had long light green boardies on and her flower was still in her hair. Johnny blinked, her body was extremely well cared for as it was plain to see.  
  
"Finally!" said Nanasi trying to get out of the pool, but Bryan tugged her back in. "We thought you'd never come out."  
  
"More like hoped," Johnny muttered under his breath, making Tia glare at him.  
  
"Have a nice fall?" Kai asked snidely. Tia swept past him and pulled the flower from her hair, making her browny red hair flop down around her face.  
  
"Wasn't too bad," she replied dryly. Johnny ignored her and dove in to join the game while Tia sat at the side with her legs flopping into the water.  
  
"Right, we're winning now," said Ray as Johnny joined his side.  
  
"No way, we have to start over because you've got Johnny now, that's unfair," retorted Kevin.  
  
"Take Tia then," said Ray looking at Tia, her eyes narrowed slightly but then she sank into the water.  
  
"Ooh, looking to have your nose broken again Shenohi," drawled Johnny. She ignored him and took up position at the back.  
  
"My serve," Johnny said snatching the ball from Ray. He aimed straight for Tia's face. She knocked it straight back at his, but with a lot more force. He ducked under the water just in time.  
  
"Not bad Flame Brain," she said cracking her knuckles as he resurfaced. Johnny ground his teeth in annoyance.  
  
"Cool it Johnny, not today," said Bryan getting out to fetch the ball. Tia had a smirk on her face, and was glaring straight at him.  
  
"Hi Kai!" came a high pitched voice from the side of Johnny's house. They turned to see Raein frolicking towards them. Kai got out and greeted her with a make out session.  
  
"Get a room Hiwitari," sneered Tia in disgust. He turned and glared at her but stopped.  
  
"Where's the BBQ!" shouted Michael bounding through the gate. "Oh, hey Tia."  
  
"Where's Eddy?" she asked flatly, ignoring his roaming eyes.  
  
"Right here, I like the car detail Tia," he said appearing with another boy named Steve.  
  
"Yeah, it looks cool," Steve said winking at her. She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Johnny! Where is the food!" shouted Michael.  
  
"It's inside, snacks alright?" he asked.  
  
"How about some real food?" asked Bryan.  
  
"You want me to order in Pizza?" he asked flatly.  
  
"Oh Tia!" said Eddy in a sing song voice.  
  
"What?" she asked in a disgruntled voice. He made puppy eyes at her and stuck out his bottom lip. "Oh right. Not happening."  
  
"Come on! You cook the best that I've ever tasted," cried Eddy getting on the side of the pool deck on his hands and knees. "Please!"  
  
"Argh, fine. I'll go start now," she said pulling herself out of the deep end of the pool easily. Her boardies clung to her figure as she brushed past Johnny who had gotten out to dry. She took off her boardies, showing her long tanned legs and dried them before wrapping her towel around her waist and marching inside.  
  
"Make sure it's good!" taunted Eddy with a laugh and high fived Steve.  
  
"I'll get the snacks anyway," said Johnny retreating to his house as Raein swept her hand in front of Kai's face, snapping him out of his trance. Raein shrugged and dove into the pool with Mariah.  
  
"Hey Johnny!" Tyson said finally snapping the Scot from his trance that involved staring out the door.  
  
"What?" he shouted in reply.  
  
"Are you playing or what?"  
  
Tia stood in her kitchen cooking up several dishes at once. She shifted her weight off her sore foot and leant on the kitchen counter waiting for the food to finish cooking.  
  
"Ouch," she said as she tried leaning on it again. She must have hurt it last night when she tackled Kai and then got straight back up to tackle Johnny, but only felt it now after falling off the counter. "Stupid jerks."  
  
"What was that?" a voice asked from the door. It was Nanasi and Tiana, they'd come to lend a hand.  
  
"Talking to myself," she muttered before shutting off the stove.  
  
"Wholly Moley!" exclaimed Tiana. "There must be at least seven different dishes here." Tia began to put them all onto large bowls or plates.  
  
They were all different types of food. One was a bowl of Thai fried rice; another was French fries, deep fried chicken, a toss salad, sausages, marinated chicken pieces and rissoles with gravy.  
  
"They look wicked," Nanasi said pointing to the chicken pieces.  
  
"Thanks," Tia said flatly, she'd heard it all before. She handed the girls several plates to carry out and then gave a couple to Steve and Eddy who came into help.  
  
"Are you okay?" asked Eddy as she handed him a plate and cringed as she moved slightly off balance and onto her bad foot.  
  
"Fine, just stepped on a piece of rice I think," she said lifting her foot. She figured she'd really hurt it when she fell off the bench.  
  
"Well hurry up, I don't think this will last very long," said Steve who was carrying plastic plates, knives and forks. She nodded and waited for them to leave before sitting on the floor and rubbing the top of her foot. It wasn't so bad if she didn't lose her balance; but when she did it was killer painful.  
  
She got up and walked out, trying not to limp.  
  
Johnny noticed the slight limp, but also noticed that she was trying not to limp.  
  
"Must have been from me or Kai then," he muttered to himself happily. He didn't know why but he felt that any pain he inflicted on her was always left with a good feeling. She saw him staring as she walked past.  
  
"What are you looking at McGregor?" she snarled as she sat down across from Nanasi.  
  
"Not looking so crash hot huh?" he sneered nodding to her foot. She glared at him and then pulled her foot closer to her.  
  
"You didn't either when you landed flat on your ass yesterday," she replied haughtily. He growled but said nothing. She really did look like she was in pain. And their first game was on Saturday.  
  
"This food is really good," said Michael sitting next to Tia on the ground. She barely smiled and watched the water in the pool rippling.  
  
"Hey Tia, we're going clubbing on Friday night, want to come?" asked Raein walking over to get some more to eat.  
  
"You and who?" Tia asked coldly. She really didn't like Raein and Raein couldn't seem to comprehend that.  
  
"The cheerleaders of course, oh and Kai and these boys," she said brightly. Nanasi and Tiana gave Tia a look of distaste that made Tia smile smugly.  
  
"I'll give it a miss thanks, I've got a game the next day apparently," she said turning to Johnny who nodded slowly, realising he wouldn't be able to go clubbing either.  
  
"Oh okay," said Raein slightly disappointed walking back to Kai.  
  
"What game?" asked Eddy pushing her off balance in her seat and making her wince, which made Johnny smile.  
  
"Soccer," she replied shortly.  
  
"I'm coming then," he replied munching on Fried rice.  
  
"Whatever," she replied getting up. She walked back inside, ignoring Johnny's taunting stares. "Bastard," she hissed under her breath. She realised he must have known it was her tackle on him that had done it.  
  
"What's her problem? I saw her limping," said Bryan sitting on the grass next to Johnny. Kai soon joined them.  
  
"Dunno bout her, but everything just improved for me," Johnny said snidely.  
  
"Give the girl a break Johnny," said Eddy getting somewhat irritated by Johnny's snide remarks about Tia.  
  
"Get a life Eddy, she deserves everything she gets," Kai replied sharply.  
  
"Really? What did she do to you guys other than put you in your place?" asked Nanasi getting out of the pool with Tiana.  
  
"Turned up at the school and acted like queen bitch," Johnny replied, although he knew that wasn't true.  
  
"Che.yeah, whatever," sneered Tiana picking up her things. "I'm out of here Nanasi."  
  
"I'm with you there, let's go and say bye to Tia first," they said and went into Tia's house, along with Oliver and Robert.  
  
"What's their problem?" asked Johnny coldly, ignoring Eddy's glares as they walked out the gate. Kai checked his watch.  
  
"Time to fly dude, see you tomorrow. Come on Raein!" he said shouting to his blonde girl that was still in the pool.  
  
"Aww, why can't we wait a few more minutes?" she whined in a high pitched voice. Kai hurried her and soon left, leaving Johnny alone. He lay on the pool deck for awhile, listening to Tia's CD until it switched off. He groaned a little before getting up and walking inside as the phone began to ring.  
  
Tia lay on the lounge with her foot propped up on a cushion. She was reading a catalogue and listening to her P!NK albums in her six stacker stereo so she could listen to them simultaneously on random. Her foot wasn't feeling so bad and the music was helping her relax as she looked at the possible birthday presents.  
  
She got up and had a drink and noticed Johnny had disappeared inside.  
  
"About time," she muttered to herself before going back to settle back down on the lounge. She heard a sound outside but dismissed it as being Johnny cleaning up. Suddenly she could sense someone else in the room. She laid down the catalogue on her stomach and saw Flame brain standing in the doorway. She rolled her eyes.  
  
"What do you want Flame Brain?" she asked looking back at her catalogue.  
  
"I bought the plates back in," he said walking towards her.  
  
"One it's brought the plates back in," she said knowing saying something like that would annoy him. "And two, as if you'd do that without a reason."  
  
"Hey, I like my cleanliness," he retorted sharply and then cringed. He sat on one of the seats set at either side of the lounge Tia was lounging on, silent.  
  
"Look Johnny," she said finally getting fed up and slamming down the catalogue. "What is your problem?"  
  
"Jose got hurt playing grid iron at school today," Johnny said flatly.  
  
"So?"  
  
"I came to see if your foot is okay," he replied looking at her feet that were propped up on a cushion on the arm of the chair.  
  
"Why wouldn't they be?" she asked fiercely, picking the catalogue back up and opening it again. He jabbed her right foot, just below the big toe. "Ow! Hey!" she shouted pulling them off the arm and swinging them so that they were on the floor.  
  
"Well?" he asked sitting on the lounge next to her.  
  
"What the hell did you do that for?" she snarled checking it.  
  
"Because, I know you hurt it tackling Kai and I yesterday at training," Johnny retorted. "You need to get that fixed so you can play on Saturday."  
  
"Look Flame Brain, I can take care of myself," she sneered. "Oh wait, is it possible that Flame Brain has a heart?" She battered her eye lids and gave a pout.  
  
"Quit it," he sneered getting up.  
  
"Your right, that's never going to happen, poor McGregor can't even get himself a girl," she said picking her catalogue back up. He glared at her and then stormed back out of the house while Tia burst into a fit of giggles.  
  
"Shut up Shenohi!" he shouted as he slid open the door. She heard him leave and then slowly and carefully and made her way back up the stairs. She took out her first aid kit and bandaged her ankle and foot carefully before going back downstairs.  
  
"Hmm, McGregor has a heart.pfft yeah right," she walked into the kitchen to wash up.  
  
The next couple of days at school passed without mishap. Tia took it easy; after Johnny warned her that if she didn't take care of her foot he'd make it so she couldn't leave her own house. On Friday night she was sitting in the king sized hammock reading a book her father had given her.  
  
"Learning to read Shenohi?" his voice sneered as she swung gently in the breeze. It was hot and she was wearing khaki hotpants and mesh top over her plain white bikini.  
  
"I was waiting for you so I could teach you," she said putting on a fake sweet voice before sneering.  
  
"Yeah yeah," he said sitting on one of the deck chairs. "You ready for tomorrow?"  
  
"Any reason why I wouldn't be?" she asked not looking away from her book. She could sense Johnny roll his eyes and glare at her. "Fine." She swung herself off to the side of the hammock, making it swing wide.  
  
Johnny pulled his chair closer so he could check her foot. He caught her foot as it swung closer to him and then carefully undid the bandage. He moved and stretched it, putting pressure on it at different points. Her foot jerked in his hand every now and then when he ran his fingers down specific areas.  
  
"Ticklish huh?" he said teasingly.  
  
"Try it and die," she growled in response. He let her foot go.  
  
"Walk on it," he ordered. She rolled her eyes and stood up before taking a couple of steps. She caught site of a soccer ball on the grass. She walked over and flicked it up before beginning to juggle it.  
  
"Have I got your approval doctor McGregor?" she asked coldly before kicking it at him. He caught it and smirked.  
  
"Well, in the looks and attitude, definitely not," he threw the ball back to her. "But physically, for a soccer match.possibly." She gawked and pegged the ball back at him before sitting back into the hammock. He laughed and sat back in the deck chair, spinning the ball on his finger.  
  
"You really are a Flame Brain, the steams coming out of your ears," she said opening her book and reading it again.  
  
"Shut up Shenohi," he sneered before leaning back to look up into the stars.  
  
"Why? Only doing what I seem to do best around here," she said with a sigh. She heard a phone ring inside. She looked at her watch and groaned.  
  
"What's up with you?" he said haughtily, happy to see her in discontent.  
  
"That just happens to be Celia," she said with a tone of disgust. Johnny laughed.  
  
"What, let me guess, you don't like her because she doesn't have your bad taste in clothes?" Johnny taunted.  
  
"Get real McGregor, for your info she's a real wench and is only after his money," she said sitting up and jumping from the hammock on the swing. "But, at least they're not getting married or anything."  
  
She was about to walk away when her father opened the sliding door and called out.  
  
"Hey Tia!" he shouted happily, he still had the phone in his hand.  
  
"Yes dad?" she said in irritation, taking her time to walk around the pool before making her way to him.  
  
"You'll never guess, Celia's coming to stay for the weekend," he said excitedly as she was half way around. She stopped dead in her tracks.  
  
"What?" she blurted out, a look of horror on her face.  
  
"Yeah, she said she'd like to come and watch you play," he said before walking back inside to continue talking on the phone. Tia stood, gaping at the door. Johnny did his best not to laugh, but couldn't hold it in.  
  
"Get a life McGregor," she hissed, glaring at him with hate in her cold and deep eyes.  
  
"Sorry, but I got a good one," he said between breaths. "And it just got a whole lot better." Before for he knew what was happening, Tia had tackled him off the deck chair and they both rolled onto the dewy grass.  
  
"Take that back!" she sneered, landing on his chest and pushing him down; hard.  
  
"What? About the fact that was the best thing I've seen happen to you so far?" he said taunting her. She went to hit him, but he managed to catch her wrist and flip her onto her back. He leaned down onto her, making it harder for her to struggle free.  
  
"Get off me Flame Brain," she sneered, trying to kick him off her.  
  
"Poor, ickle Tia's got competition for her ickle daddy'o," he said putting on a baby voice.  
  
"You ought to keep that voice Flame Brain, it suits you," she snarled before getting her hands free and shoving him off her roughly. She got up and stormed into her house, leaving Johnny struggling with laughter on the grass.  
  
The next day he woke when his mother shook him awake. He had breakfast with her on the second storey verandah. He heard Tia and her father walk outside, it sounded like he was trying to reason with her on something.  
  
"Come on Tia, it won't be that bad," he said as she tied up her hair. She was wearing her swimmers and board shorts, only shorter ones this time and her bikini was a dark blue. 'Reflecting my mood' it said on one triangle. She dove in and began swimming laps, leaving her dad to run his fingers through his hair in frustration.  
  
"Morning Simon," called Johnny's mother looking over the railing.  
  
"Huh? Oh morning Rosie, Johnny," he said slightly distracted as Tia began her third lap.  
  
"Problems?" she asked buttering some toast.  
  
"Err.yeah, guess so," he said watching as she went around again.  
  
"Is she being a pain in the butt like I told you she was?" Johnny asked, his mother kicking him in response. Simon laughed.  
  
"Not really, my fault, I think," he replied still chuckling to himself. "She's not too happy about a friend of mine coming to stay the weekend."  
  
"Oh yes, Celia, wasn't it?" Johnny asked leaning over the rail. Simon nodded. "Ah, do what you want, let Tia mind her own business for once."  
  
"Heh, she always does, and that's what bothers me sometimes," Simon said before walking back inside while Tia continued to do laps.  
  
"She swims well," his mother commented watching as she began her twenty fifth. "She has a lovely body too; I wish my body had been as nice as hers when I was younger."  
  
"Don't worry mum, looks even better than Tia's now," he replied getting up and kissing her on the cheek before walking back inside. He went and changed before walking outside to kick the ball around a little. The phone rang inside and his mother answered.  
  
"Oh hello Cell," she said shutting the back door. While his mother's back was turned he threw the ball at Tia, hitting her arm as it swung over to stroke again. She jerked her head out of the water and gathered the ball in one hand before stopping.  
  
"Get lost," she said pegging it at him before swimming to the side and brushing her hair from her face.  
  
"We want you alive to play you know," he said with a smirk as he caught it. She climbed out, the water dripping off her smooth, tanned skin.  
  
"Why? So you can kill me afterwards when you use me to disguise your cowardly acts of cowardice?" she sneered drying herself. He scowled. "Yeah, I get the point." She walked back inside, shutting the door after her. He heard her shout something before going upstairs.  
  
Tia looked out to her front window to see a blue BMW pull up in the driveway, behind her car. She scowled and shut the curtains so she could change into her sports clothes before going down to the field earlier than necessary.  
  
"Tia! Celia's here!" she heard her father shout up the stairs. She grunted and turned her music up louder; making it blatantly obvious she didn't want to disturbed.  
  
Tia had met Celia a couple of times before while they were staying on the base. She was a public servant working in the Administration office of the DCO. Tia had immediately disliked her; she seemed to be very fake and unreliable.  
  
Tia changed into a sports bra and then tossed on a small green shirt and her soccer shorts that were mainly dark green, with black and white stripes on one corner of the legs. She collected her soccer boots, socks, shin pads and some other necessities and threw them into her sports bag.  
  
Downstairs there was another knock on the door.  
  
"Who's that?" she said to herself looking out the window. She couldn't see any other car in the driveway or out in the road. There was a knock at her door.  
  
"You decent?" asked her father through the door.  
  
"Dressed, but not raised," she replied coldly, thinking he'd bought Celia up when he said something to someone else.  
  
"I'd have to agree with that," came Johnny's voice. Tia wrenched open the door, glaring at Johnny. "Hi Shenohi."  
  
"Johnny's offered to take you down ahead of us," Simon said and then turned to Johnny. "It's not necessary though, she could come with Celia and me."  
  
"Yeah, well I've been to the field before and we wouldn't want Tia to be late because you guys got lost," Johnny replied shrugging. "My mother put me up to it."  
  
"Great," she said realising what Johnny meant. "I'll be right there."  
  
"Are you sure Tia? We don't mind leaving a bit earlier," Simon asked unsure about the idea.  
  
"Absolutely positive," she replied sliding her feet into her Gallas slides. She hurried down the stairs after Johnny, keeping her eyes down should Celia appear.  
  
"Oh Simon!" came a shrill voice from the back of the house.  
  
"Hurry up!" Tia hissed as they jumped the last steps. She pushed him out the door as her father walked down the stairs to answer Celia. When they were outside and on Johnny's side of the driveway Tia let go of the breath she'd been holding.  
  
"Heh, quickest you've ever moved since you moved here," Johnny said getting into the car. Tia chucked her bag onto the back seat and got into the passenger side.  
  
"Shut up McGregor," she replied putting on her belt. "Stupid baka."  
  
"Ah cool it Shenohi, I just saved your ass," he said pulling out of the driveway and speeding down the street. "You could be just a little bit grateful."  
  
"Could be, but that isn't my style," she replied coldly, staring out the window. Johnny sped around a corner and then began to slow down. There were a large number of cars parked at the side of the road. She recognised Kai's Viper. "What's up?"  
  
"We always arrive together, team thing," he replied shrugging. They got out of the car and walked over to Lee's Lancer where everyone else was talking.  
  
"Hey guys, how come you two came together?" Kevin asked smugly.  
  
"Because Monkey boy, I'm not travelling with a self absorbed wrench that is continually telling me how I could improve my image," Tia snarled looking down on the youngest team member.  
  
"Oh," he replied, cowering under her glare.  
  
"Heh, looks like you are anyway," Mariah said with a laugh referring to Johnny. He glared at her, making her stick her tongue out at him.  
  
"Let's head out guys!" shouted Michael running to his car as Jose's car appeared in the distance. There was a scramble to the cars and they all sped off in front of Jose, leaving a cloud of dust as they spun their wheels.  
  
Please review me and let me know whether I should keep going. I'm thinking this is going to definitely go into a higher rating, so listen up okay.  
  
Luv yall  
  
Krayon 


	6. A soccer match and a close call

I'm going to be away for a couple of weeks so guys, sorry that I won't be able to upload any more chapters, I could if I could organise for someone else to do it for me but.you know. I'll be seein ya!  
  
By the way, thanks baby fireball for your review, at least you were nice enough to review my story. Merry Christmas everyone. `````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 6  
  
A Soccer match and a close call  
  
When they arrived at the field, younger teams were playing and being cheered on by small contingents of parents. Tia also noticed a small group of teenagers sitting in the concrete stands.  
  
"Nice day," Paul said getting out of his car with Michael. "Good day for soccer."  
  
"Yeah, but looks like Brayville made some improvements to their team," Ray said nodding towards the teenagers in the stands. Tia had noticed they were wearing matching track suits. Several of them were large, built boys; the others were tall and lean.  
  
"Ah, no sweat," said Johnny throwing Tia her bag. She looked back at the team as they walked to the change rooms.  
  
"What's up Tia?" asked Mariah appearing at her side as she followed them.  
  
"Nothing," she said shortly.  
  
"You seem a bit worried, other team scaring you?"  
  
"Nah, just sizing them up," she replied entering the girls change rooms with Mariah in tow. She was surprised when Mariah changed into a soccer uniform. "What's this?"  
  
"Huh?" Mariah asked turning around as she tied her hair up. She was wearing a pink sports bra and the same shorts as Tia. She looked down at her shorts. "Oh, I'm on the team too. I just can't train with you guys because of work and school, so naturally I'm not as good. I like to have fun though."  
  
"And the guys don't argue with it?" Tia asked tying her own hair up and taking off her jewellery.  
  
"As if Ray would let them," she replied giggling. Tia shook her head, there was no way this girl could keep up with them, and so she figured she must have been the mid fielder. They marched out and into the boy's change room for the pre game talk.  
  
"Getting a good look?" sneered Kai as they walked in. They hadn't received their shirts yet so they were all topless. Tia raised an eyebrow, she and Mariah weren't wearing anything upstairs except their sports bra and she figured they were probably getting a better look at her's than what she was at theirs.  
  
"At what?" she asked sitting on a bench next to Mariah who was giggling uncontrollably. Kai growled and then sat down next to Johnny, both staring at Tia as she sat with her eyes shut and arms folded.  
  
"All right, we all here?" asked Paul walking in with Simon behind him. Tia's eyes shot open and she glared at her father before shutting them again. "Okay, today I want Kai, Tala and Ray up the front. Johnny, Robert, Mariah and Bryan in the middle; Johnny you've got to control the centre. Gary, Lee and Tia at the back and Michael, you know where you are."  
  
"Oh yeah, in the easiest place of them all," he replied leaning against the wall with his hands behind his head.  
  
"Kai, Tala and Ray, keep that ball headed their way, Mariah you stay grounded in the centre and let Johnny roam. Tia and Gary shut them down as best they can and Bryan keep an eye on your wing too," said Simon who figured they wouldn't use the left wing as much as the right.  
  
"I'll see how we're going half way through the first half and see if we can't change it a bit," Paul said checking the shirts and handing them out. Tia was given ten, her favourite number. "Now get out there and warm up properly."  
  
"I'll make sure you do," said Simon smiling malevolently. They groaned and filed out, Tia and Mariah walking out last.  
  
"Girls."said Paul packing away his things. They turned back around. "Feel free to kick around those boys," he said grinning. Mariah giggled in response while Tia just walked out. She was immediately greeted by hoots and whistles.  
  
"Hey look, it's Eddy and the others," Mariah exclaimed waving. Tia ignored them and jogged out to the field, raising her knees higher than usual to get the muscles warmed up.  
  
"Come on Tia," said her father booting the ball at her. She moved her head slightly and it missed, hitting Mariah on the back of the head as she turned around to wave to her parents.  
  
"Ow!" she exclaimed and booted the ball back at him as he laughed his apology. Tia started jogging with Mariah, glaring at opposition players as they blew her raspberries.  
  
"These guys are totally gross, I can't wait till I can start getting dirty with them," said Mariah sneering at one as they ran past.  
  
"Why wait?" Tia asked spotting a soccer ball come flying towards her. She spun and kicked to the side right at the boy blowing raspberries, it hit him in the side of the head.  
  
"Score!" shouted Mariah and they sprinted to catch up to the boys, Mariah laughing uncontrollably.  
  
"What's your problem?" asked Bryan looking at them strangely.  
  
"Score?" Tia asked in a Chinese accent. This made Mariah laugh even more, attracting the attention of the other boys. "Sorry, my bad." Mariah was pretty much rolling on the ground now.  
  
"Girl, at this rate you ain't gonna be in no condition to kick no body's balls!" Tia exclaimed in a voice that sounded a lot like Missy Elliot's voice.  
  
"Seriously, someone get that girl a doctor," laughed Ray as Mariah started hitting the ground.  
  
"I think a shrink might be more appropriate," Tia replied solemnly, before bursting into laughter herself.  
  
"Tia."her father warned.  
  
"And you can Shaddup too," she replied snootily before going to kick the ball at Michael in goals.  
  
By the time the referees appeared to take charge, Mariah had calm down slightly, and she sobered when Tia pointed out that the player they had hit wasn't looking too happy.  
  
"Ready?" asked Bryan standing beside her on the line up.  
  
"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked flatly.  
  
"Because I can't wait to see you get flattened," Kai replied from beside Johnny, who snorted in response.  
  
"Here, here," the player she'd hit sneered. She looked at him and blinked. "You're going to pay for that cheap shot girly."  
  
"Actually, I have to admit that was pretty cheap, and I wasted it on you. Shame," she said shaking her head, Mariah tried not to laugh and looked away. The guys on the other team looked mad, and Tia smiled smugly which didn't improve the mood much.  
  
Ray won the toss and chose what side to run from. The teams separated and Tia moved to her position on the right of Gary. Kevin was on the wing ahead of her and Ray was in the circle with Johnny.  
  
The refs whistle blew shrilly and Ray pushed it forward for Johnny who pulled it back to Lee who held the ball for several minutes, drawing the players from the other team. Tia moved forward to the half way line as Lee booted over the mid field across to Mariah. She jumped up but was no match for the taller left winger who jumped over her and headed it towards Tia, his striker closing in fast.  
  
"Come on Tia!" shouted Eddy and Steve from the stands.  
  
"G'day Eddy, haven't heard from you for a very long time," Simon said turning around and leaning over the fence.  
  
"I know, I got a new car though. Tia's is way better than the last time I saw it," he said as Tia calculated the distance between her and the striker and who had the better chance of getting it first.  
  
"Get a move on Tia!" shouted Johnny running back to support and mark his man. She decided on a better motive. She ran forward one step and then ran back five, confusing the striker.  
  
"Got ya," she said and slid in as he reached his foot out to get it, trapping it in his feet. She knocked it out and knocked him down, allowing her to get straight back up and continue kicking it over the opposing back line for Ray or Kai to run onto. The opposing crowd groaned as the boy fell to the ground.  
  
"That was a foul ref!" the opposing coach shouted angrily. She turned and glared at him coldly before running past to catch up to the game. The striker ran past, ramming his shoulder into her as he went by.  
  
"You're going to pay for that one girly," he snarled pointing at her as she stumbled slightly. There were shouts from Eddy and the crew as she stared at the boy.  
  
"Uh-oh," said Simon from his spot leaning his back against the rail that separated the crowds from the dug outs.  
  
"What?" asked Paul and Eddy at the same time.  
  
"That's Tia's 'Target Sighted' glare, I hate to say it, but I doubt that kid will be playing the next time we play this team," he replied watching his daughter as she trapped a pass from Mariah before passing it off to Gary and moving into space.  
  
"We can't lose Tia to a red card! Not with Jose out for a month or more!" Paul exclaimed watching Tia anxiously as she made her way up the field with the ball.  
  
"Oh, she won't do anything obvious," Simon replied seriously. "She just does it so they pretty much do it themselves, with a little help. Either that or emotionally." Eddy laughed at that, understanding what he meant.  
  
"Oh yeah, remember that game of Basketball I played with her, I couldn't stand being near her after that. I'd purposely move to the other side of the court to get away from her," he laughed along with Simon.  
  
"She's that bad?" Paul asked in astonishment as Kai took a shot that was saved by the goalie.  
  
"You tell her to stick her man and she will. She will be on their toes at every second," Simon said nodding his head and folding his arms.  
  
"And you don't even hear what she says if you try and get away, the last one I heard she'd come up with was 'what, not your type huh?' She's notorious," Eddy said shaking his head in shame.  
  
Kai took another shot and got it in before half time went. They all trudged back into the change rooms, drinking eagerly.  
  
Tia sat with her head resting on the brickwork. Mariah was breathing heavily beside her; she was really working hard out there. But Tia wasn't, if anything she was bored.  
  
"Tia, I'll start you in Sweeper and then see where I'll put you after that. Gary is going in goals," he said as Gary and Michael swapped shirts.  
  
"Yeah," she said yawning and looking up at the ceiling.  
  
"Kai and Ray, you two are doing well," Simon said brightly, both shrugged and drank some more, too exhausted to speak. "You're running all over their backs, just need to get the shooting in any where and everywhere."  
  
"Johnny, you need to get back and help Tia now, you weren't helping Gary much, and Bryan was really struggling so I'm putting Enrique on and Robert into the back. Alright with you?" he said turning to Robert who nodded. Johnny growled but said nothing, glaring at Tia. She felt his eyes boring into her but ignored him.  
  
"You want a rest Mariah, let us know," Simon said turning to the Pink haired girl who was retying her hair.  
  
"Have fun back there Gary, I know you always do," Paul said. Gary rubbed his knuckles eagerly. "Let's go out and really run them down now."  
  
They jogged back out onto the field, the sun pouring down onto them.  
  
"You better stop everything Tia, or else," sneered Johnny.  
  
"Or what?" she snarled in reply stopping beside him and staring coldly at him.  
  
"You travel with your father's dear friend," he sneered back smugly.  
  
"Forget her, I can cope with that," she said returning the smug smile. He glared at her as she jogged back to the goal square.  
  
"Bitch," he muttered under his breath as the opposite team kicked off. Johnny ran forward to tackle the player with the ball, but they did a double step over before slipping it through his legs.  
  
"Nuttied!" the crowd shouted with glee. Johnny growled and ran back, to see Tia watching the player carefully, but not moving.  
  
"Tia! Move it!" he shouted at her angrily. She didn't respond, until he tried to run around her, she shifted her body into his, trapping the ball with one foot and turning her back to him. He slammed into her back and fell down, rolling on the ground and holding his arm. Tia booted it back up the opposite end of the field, before walking back to her position.  
  
"Told you she'd get him," Simon said in triumph as Ray scored. The game was called to a stop as the coach and manager ran out to check on their downed player. Tia stood at the back talking with Gary while they waited for the player to be cleared from the field and a substitute brought on.  
  
"What did she do to him?" asked Eddy as the player was helped off.  
  
"Looks like HE twisted his wrist," Simon replied emphasizing who had hurt him.  
  
"Oh," Eddy replied sheepishly.  
  
When the game restarted Johnny was able to get the ball from the kick off when the striker tried to pass it to a team mate. He passed it onwards to where Mariah should have been but she wasn't.  
  
"Where the hell?" he looked around to see Tia shoot through and take it from the opposition that had received it from the pass. She zipped past one player and was soon encountered with two defenders. She faked one way and then spun, one foot on the ball moving it along with her. She spun along the line and then ran on; the defenders lost for words as to what happened.  
  
"Come on Tia!" shouted Mariah from the dug out where she was resting.  
  
"Ray!" she shouted and crossed it in, Ray missed but Kai managed to hit net off the rebound. They cheered happily; until the linesman called Kai offside.  
  
"No way!" shouted Kai angrily, along with the rest of the team. The Brayville team cheered and jeered at them.  
  
"Forget it," Tia said brushing herself off after falling after she kicked the ball. She walked back to stand in the mid field.  
  
"What are you doing Shenohi?" Johnny asked coldly.  
  
"Playing where I should be," she replied just as coldly. Johnny looked back to see Robert and Michael in the back line.  
  
"I see, just stay out of my way," he sneered before running forward to take the ball from Brayville.  
  
A while later they were running towards him with five minutes to go. They slipped past him, straight at Tia. She slid on one, but the ball bounced away, straight back to the other. Tia shot back to her feet as Johnny tried to tackle the other. He took him out from behind.  
  
"Number six," the referee called him seriously. Johnny frowned as the referee held up a yellow card.  
  
"As-"  
  
"Good as he deserves," Tia said jumping in front of him before he could finish. The referee walked away. "Dick head," she growled referring to Johnny. The Brayville striker stepped forward to take the kick.  
  
It soared over Kai and Ray's head, headed straight for Tia.  
  
"My turn," she said as the ball bounced over the half way line. She balanced herself, before kicking it on the bounce. It shot over the heads of all the other players, heading straight for the outside post. The goalie didn't bother diving, but didn't realise it was curling inwards.  
  
It hit the inside of the post, bounced across and hit the other post then flew up and hit the cross bar, ricocheting back out. There was a groan from the Hienmar supporters until it hit the back of the goalie's head and netted. The crowd cheered loudly, jumping up from their seats.  
  
"Hmm, catch," she said before walking back to her position, her team mates gawking at her, along with the Brayville players. "Bet you didn't see that one coming."  
  
"Nice shot," the referee said blowing his whistle to signal the end of the game. She jogged off and was immediately tackled by Mariah who was screaming excitedly.  
  
"Get off me!" Tia shouted until Mariah was pulled off her by Ray. "I know you're excited, but please, respect the bubble." Simon pulled Tia up easily.  
  
"You need to lose some weight," he said teasingly.  
  
"Yeah, I agree with you there," Johnny said laughing with Kai. She turned to them and smiled sweetly.  
  
"Oh, but I already am. It's called a seafood diet," she replied.  
  
"You're on a diet?" her father asked, giving her a confused look along with the rest of the team.  
  
"Ya, I see food and I eat it," she replied dryly. Simon snorted and shook his head while Mariah burst out laughing.  
  
"So funny, come on Tia. I've got to go," Simon said looking at his watch. "We're supposed to be going out to dinner."  
  
"We?" she asked.  
  
"You, me and Celia," he replied impatiently.  
  
"Right.well, you go on ahead," she said sweetly. "I wouldn't want to hold you guys up."  
  
"Besides! Tia has to come out with us, celebratory party," Mariah exclaimed seeing the seething look on Tia's face.  
  
"Your right," Johnny said looking at the others. "At Robert's parent's club huh?" The others nodded slowly in agreement, unsure.  
  
"But."  
  
"All good then, I'll see you sometime later," Tia said trying to sound bright and happy.  
  
"Oh Simon!" a voice called from the stands, Tia sprinted for the girls change rooms, Mariah behind her.  
  
"Phew, thanks Mariah, you saved me from Smeelia," Tia said taking her shirt off and picking at the knots in her boot laces. From her knees up she was covered in dirt from where she'd slid at the others.  
  
"You know, I reckon this team really needs to work on team work," Mariah said sighing as she drank more water.  
  
"No, just Kai and Johnny," Tia replied putting on some deodorant before taking out her hair and brushing. She picked up her bag just as Johnny shouted in the door way.  
  
"Hurry up Tia! Don't make me come in there!"  
  
"Come in and it's your own funeral," she sneered in reply. He wasn't happy about Tia's performance, he felt quite jealous of the attention she was gaining, but was also astonished when she came out wearing nothing but a sports bra.  
  
"For Christ's sake! Put something on!" shouted Kai rudely. Tia ignored him and walked along side Johnny who was laughing.  
  
"Great game Tia!" shouted Eddy and his friends.  
  
"Hm," she said in reply and brushed past them. She also wasn't in a good mood. She'd spotted Smeelia flirting with her father. Johnny walked up to the car and unlocked it and turned to Tia, but she wasn't looking in his direction. Her head was turned and she was looking at something else. A look of distaste on her face.  
  
"Earth to Tia, you coming or not?" he asked coldly turning to see what she was looking at. Then he saw it, Simon standing with a small, pale coloured lady wearing expensive clothes. She looked awfully familiar too.  
  
"Let's get out of here," Tia hissed before the woman could turn around. Johnny nodded and got in the car and they sped out of the car park, throwing up stones behind them.  
  
When they got home Tia went straight upstairs to shower and change. She wasn't going clubbing with them, but wanted to get out of the house at least. Her phone rang and she raced to her bag.  
  
"Hello?" she said flipping it open.  
  
"Hey! Are you coming?" Mariah's voice answered.  
  
"No," Tia replied shortly.  
  
"Why not? I thought you wanted to get away from that woman," Mariah asked in a confused voice.  
  
"Yeah, but I don't want to go clubbing, I'm just going to go out or something," Tia replied, pretending to sound tired.  
  
"Well, how about we spend the night at Oliver's parent's café. How about that? They usually have a band playing tonight and it's really nice, you and me huh? And we can bitch about the team and other stuff all night?"  
  
Tia thought about it for a moment and then considered what else she could do. "I'll be there at six." She hung up and went downstairs to make herself a snack. She sat listening to her music up as loud as possible until she heard a key in the lock. She sprinted outside and over to Johnny's back door.  
  
"Tia? What are you doing here?" Rosie asked in surprise, opening the door.  
  
"Playing hide and seek," she replied hurrying inside.  
  
"I hear you scored today, well done for your first game with the boys," she said bustling around the kitchen. Tia sat down on a stool watching as Rosie prepared some type of dish.  
  
"Are you expecting someone?" Tia asked watching as she roughly chopped some garlic.  
  
"Yes, my sister. She's visiting a friend or something and said she might drop in," she replied getting Tia a drink.  
  
"What are you doing here?" came Johnny's voice from the doorway. It looked like he'd just come out of the shower, his hair was sticking up at even odder angles than usual with water droplets clinging to it. He had on a pair of denim shorts that went past his knees and hung from his waist, leaving his washboard stomach in full view. She turned slightly on her stool.  
  
"Annoying you of course," Tia replied smiling smugly. "And would it be possible that I ask you to put something on, not a nice sight Scotty." He smirked and opened the fridge. Tia turned back to Rosie.  
  
"What's the deal with that shot you pulled off today? A fluke huh?" he asked smugly.  
  
"As if you care, even if I told you the truth you wouldn't believe me," she replied taking a sip from her drink.  
  
"She's got a good point there," Rosie said with a laugh. There was a knock on the front door.  
  
"I'll be going now that your sister is here," Tia said getting up.  
  
"Don't you move young lady, you are staying for lunch, you are far too skinny," she replied walking into the front room. Johnny laughed at the look on Tia's face from Rosie's remark on her weight.  
  
"Shut up McGregor, you're not much better," she said putting her glass in the sink. He glared at her before blocking her way out. "What are you playing at?"  
  
"Mum said you weren't going anywhere, just making sure," he said with a smirk.  
  
"McGregor, don't make me hurt you," Tia said through clenched teeth, her temper on breaking point. He continued to smirk at her and waved a finger in front of her.  
  
"Where's my Johnny!" came a high voice from the front room. Johnny's eyes widened and he looked very frightened of the voice.  
  
"What? Afraid of your aunt?" Tia said trying not to laugh. He glared at her before grabbing her around the waist and reefing her forward in front of him.  
  
"You can be the first seen!" he sneered lifting her off her feet.  
  
"Johnny McGregor! Put me down!" Tia shouted angrily trying to hit him.  
  
"Johnny! Put Tia down!" his mother exclaimed running into the kitchen.  
  
"Okay," Johnny replied and before Tia could respond he'd dropped her on her backside.  
  
"You're going to pay for that McGregor!" Tia hissed.  
  
"Well, this is where you're hiding," came the fake high voice. Tia froze and turned slowly around. She narrowed her eyes and stood up. "Your father has been looking for you."  
  
Johnny's eyes widened in recognition. He now knew why she'd seemed so familiar; it was his Aunt Celia that had been flirting with Simon.  
  
"Why?" asked Tia coldly, standing much taller than Celia.  
  
"I don't know, personally I don't care," she said shrugging. Johnny stared at his Aunt. He'd never liked her much but he never knew she could be such a bitch.  
  
"Celia, that's not very nice," said Rosie affronted. Celia shrugged as Tia glared at her, Johnny could have sworn she was going to jump Celia. He grabbed her around the waist and tried dragging her backwards into the front room.  
  
"Oh, is she yours? I always thought she was a quick player," Celia sneered sitting on a stool. Tia tried struggling from Johnny's arms and Johnny almost thought of letting her go if his mother hadn't have been there.  
  
"Get a life Cell," Johnny snarled trying to drag Tia back out of the room. He eventually managed to drag her into the spare bedroom where she started yelling at him at the top of her lungs.  
  
"Why didn't you let me go?" she screamed angrily.  
  
"Duh, one my mother was there and two, I don't think your father would appreciate it, killing his girlfriend," he replied sitting on the bed calmly. Tia glared at him and went to open the door and walk back out. He shot up from the bed and cut her off.  
  
"Get out of my way," she hissed in a deathly whisper.  
  
"Not if you're going after Celia," Johnny replied in a warning voice.  
  
"One I wouldn't waste my precious energy on Smeelia and two I've got a dinner with Mariah at Olli's," Tia sneered and shoved past him. He grabbed her wrist as she walked past.  
  
"Don't. You try and make Celia's life horrible and she'll give it back to you ten fold, she's done it to my mother for all her life," Johnny said. Tia looked at him, her eyes narrowing with coldness and hate.  
  
"Let me go McGregor or you'll loathe the day you ever met me even more than you loathe it now," Tia said in another deathly whisper. He let go of her wrist as if it burnt and she reefed open the door.  
  
Please review me and let me know whether I should keep going. I'm thinking this is going to definitely go into a higher rating, so listen up okay.  
  
Luv yall  
  
Krayon 


	7. Night Out

Coming along nicely this story is let us continue  
  
`````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Night out  
  
An hour later she was sitting in the café, looking at her drink miserably. She hadn't cried in ages, and right now she felt like she could cry all day. She was confused about how on earth her father could ever like anyone like Smeelia.  
  
"Bitch," she hissed under her breath and didn't notice Oliver appear at her side.  
  
"Who's a bitch?" he asked sitting next to her in the booth. Tia gave him a sideways glance and then continued to twirl her drink between her fingers. "Oh, like that is it?"  
  
"Hey Tia!" came Mariah's voice from the door. She made her way to Tia's booth and sat down. "Gee, is it really that bad?"  
  
"You don't know the half of it," Tia mumbled in response. Mariah gave Oliver her drink order and he left them.  
  
"What happened, even you weren't that miserable when I left you," Mariah asked quietly trying to coerce her into telling something.  
  
"Smeelia strikes again," Tia hissed gripping her glass roughly; Mariah got the feeling she was envisioning Celia's face. "Stupid bitch."  
  
"What happened when you got home? Was she there already or something?"  
  
"Just my luck that I happen to be living next door to her bloody nephew," she hissed getting thoroughly angry. Mariah looked afraid at Tia for a moment and then pulled herself together.  
  
"Johnny is Celia's nephew? Gee, double trouble."  
  
"I went over to see Rosie, Johnny's mother. I was speaking with her for a while and she was telling me about her sister. When someone knocked at the door I wanted to leave but Rosie told me to stay. Johnny didn't help either, stupid baka," she took a deep shuddering breath, obviously trying to calm her nerves.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"She walked in all smug and said 'Well, this is where you're hiding,' and then she had the hide to say I was a slut! Me!"  
  
"She called you a slut?" asked Oliver reappearing with Mariah's drink. "Who did?"  
  
"Johnny's Aunt," Mariah replied as Tia seethed in her seat. "Well?"  
  
"She never actually said the word, but you could tell she was inciting the idea. Johnny took me away, but I never felt like I wanted to kill anyone so badly," Tia said sighing heavily and finally relaxing.  
  
"Thank god for Johnny, I'm surprised he let you go with Celia still around," Oliver said stunned.  
  
"Yeah, he may not seem it, but he isn't that bad a guy at the right time," Mariah added thoughtfully.  
  
"Pfft, Johnny? Not bad? Right time?" Tia said scoffing. "Are you two on the same planet as me at the moment?"  
  
"Looks like it to me," a voice said from behind Tia. Johnny, Kai and Tala all stood at the other door. Johnny spoke again. "At least they've got brains anyway." Tia turned around and ignored his remark.  
  
"Hi Kai, Johnny, Tala. What brings you guys in?" Oliver asked as they sat in another booth.  
  
"Wanted a peaceful dinner before we headed over to Robert's club, the usual okay?" Tala replied. Johnny, meanwhile, was staring intently at Tia. She glared back at him and looked back down at her glass while Mariah ordered for the both of them.  
  
"Uh Tia? Are you okay?" Mariah asked gently. Tia shook her head and looked up, her hair falling into her face.  
  
"Fine, why?" she asked flicking her hair from her face.  
  
"I asked you if you were sure you didn't want to go clubbing tonight," Mariah replied looking at Tia carefully. Tia shrugged.  
  
"I'll think about it over dinner," she replied wearily. Mariah smiled as Tia gave a weak grin. "Which I really feel like right now." Mariah was hoping she would be able to loosen Tia towards her a little, making it easy to become friends. They waited for the meals and talked to each other quietly as the boys made a lot of noise behind them, soon joined by others.  
  
Johnny watched Tia silently; she appeared so care free now, talking animatedly to Mariah about her home town. Who would have thought the Pink haired minx would be good for something other than filling space.  
  
"Yo! Earth to Johnny," said Enrique waving a hand in front of his face. Johnny jerked his head and looked around.  
  
"What?" he asked looking at Enrique with a puzzled expression. Enrique looked behind him and saw Tia who looked up and glared at him before continuing her conversation with Mariah and Nanasi.  
  
"Ah, I see a little lady has finally caught your eye," Enrique said smugly, catching the group's attention.  
  
"As if, I would rather go out with a Cheerleader to that camouflage G.I. Jane," he sneered.  
  
"Then why the stupor?" asked Tala just as smugly.  
  
"Just thinking of how she could make friends with the minx and dwarf," he replied turning back as they laughed loudly.  
  
"Good point," Kai said high fiving Johnny who laughed at his remark. They ate and chatted until they decided to head for the club.  
  
"Oy Johnny," came Raein's voice from beside Kai. "I heard Mariah saying something about your aunt being really bitchy to Tia and that Tia was ready to kill, what happened?"  
  
Johnny didn't like Raein's attitude to the subject and showed her this by snorting. He turned to look past Kai and glare at Raein.  
  
"What? Want to go and spread the word through school that I had to stop a psychotic female from killing my aunt even though she totally deserved it?" he snarled at her. She looked taken a back. "And then I would be the next on her hit list because I went and told one of the biggest gossips in school? I don't think so." Raein's mouth moved but nothing came out.  
  
"A bit harsh isn't it?" Kai growled holding Raein around the waist.  
  
"Apart from the fact she deserved it you mean?" Johnny snarled back. Kai looked at him, narrowing his eyes and then nodded.  
  
"You got a point there," he replied letting go of Raein's waist. She looked stunned as they walked on without her. "But what did happen?"  
  
"My aunt pretty much called Tia a slut," Johnny replied shrugging. "And yes, she probably could have killed her."  
  
"Whoa, she was that mad? Just because of that?" Tala asked in amazement.  
  
"Well, I guess it didn't help that I tried to make her mad as well, and Celia was trying to make it sound as if she was with me," he added as an after thought. They laughed and waited in the line up. Robert was standing outside with the bouncer, when he saw them he pointed them out and the bouncer walked down the line to them, pointing each one out individually and receiving nods from Robert.  
  
"You lot, inside," he grunted. They climbed over the rope and walked in with Robert.  
  
"Where might all the ladies be?" he asked not seeing Mariah and her friends with Ray or Nanasi and Tiana with them.  
  
"Sympathising with Tia at Olli's," Ray replied. "She had a run in with Johnny's aunt, who also just happens to be Simon's new girlfriend."  
  
"Long story," added Johnny glaring at Ray for telling it so loose lipped.  
  
Back at the café, Tia had loosened up a lot and was now telling them everything, didn't help that she'd had quite a few cruisers along with Nanasi and Mariah. Tiana didn't, she was going to drive them all home.  
  
"A good thing I walked huh?" Tia said laughing as they received another lot of drinks from Oliver. "When do you finish?" she asked happily.  
  
"In about 3.2.1.finished," he said undoing his apron and taking out a set of keys. "To the club girls!"  
  
"Um.no I don't think-"  
  
"Oh come on Tia, don't ruin the night now," Mariah said hitting her on the arm, making her drink jerk in her hand and spill on the table. She giggled uncontrollably as Tia tried to slurp it up from the table.  
  
"You know what, you're right," she said and skulled the rest of her drinks, making the others stare in awe. "Let's go Oliver."  
  
Tia travelled in Oliver's car with Mariah while Tiana and Nanasi were in the other. Mariah, Oliver and Tia sang loudly as they sped down the road. When they arrived they climbed out and ran to the line.  
  
"Hmm, we might have to wait awhile," said Oliver, but the bouncer walked over to them.  
  
"Oy, you friends of Robert's? " he asked looking at them nastily as if they would more likely be street bums.  
  
"Yes," Oliver replied. The bouncer looked back at his mate and nodded.  
  
"Go on through," he said as Tia jumped the rope and then helped Mariah over who was wearing a skirt. They made their way inside where loud music was playing.  
  
"Hmm, not bad," Tia said looking around. Mariah laughed and hit her on the arm before running through the crowd.  
  
"What do you mean not bad?" came a thick English voice from behind her.  
  
"Hello Bobby!" Nanasi exclaimed hugging him. "We managed to convince Tia to come along."  
  
"Yes, vee haf very powerful mezods ov persvasion," Tiana said tapping her fingers together.  
  
"Yeah, and it just happens to be called alcohol," Tia sneered before laughing and looking for Mariah in the moving bodies. One of her favourite songs was playing and she swayed as she walked, ignoring the stares and whistles as she passed through the crowd.  
  
"Tia?" a voice said to her left as she swung around to look at someone who had grabbed her shoulder. It was Bryan and Tala.  
  
"Oh, hello boys," she said smiling devilishly. "What can I do for you?" she asked.  
  
"What are you doing here? I thought you'd be out killing someone," Bryan joked. Tia narrowed her eyes.  
  
"Who says I'm not here to kill someone," she replied. Bryan and Tala's eyes widened. Tia laughed. "Just kidding."  
  
"Well, well. If it isn't G.I. Jane," a voice said from behind her.  
  
"Goodbye Hiwitari," she said and moved off into the crowd. She found Nanasi, Tiana and Mariah dancing in the centre of the dance floor and joined them. She moved her body to the beat, her hips bouncing as she sang along with the others. She was well aware of eyes on her but ignored them. Tonight she was going to cut loose for the first time since she'd arrived in Hienmar.  
  
"They need some better music!" shouted Nanasi frowning as a slow song came on.  
  
"I agree with you there," Tiana said panting form all her dancing.  
  
"Why don't you go up there and sing then?" sneered Johnny from where he was leaning on the stage. Enrique was the DJ now, taking over from the previous guy.  
  
"Um.because I can't sing, and I don't want to make a fool of myself," Nanasi replied in a retarded voice.  
  
"Get lost McGregor," Tia sneered walking past him to speak with Enrique. As she was walking up the steps she felt someone grab her ass. She swung around to see one of the Brayville boys.  
  
"Well, looky here. And no boys to protect you," he sneered smiling malevolently.  
  
"Get a life, loser," she sneered in reply knocking away his hand.  
  
"Oh, I've got a great one, and it's just about to get all the more better," he said grabbing her wrist and pushing her against the wall by the stairs. He was stronger than her, but she wasn't scared of the guy. He looked too goofy to be scared of.  
  
"Let me go, or you won't be a guy for much longer," she threatened struggling against him. He pushed his weight against her bottom half, making it harder for her to move.  
  
"What are you going to do about it?" he asked, as if challenging her to say it again. He thrust himself forward slightly, ramming her back into the wall. The pain shot through her pelvis but she didn't shout out.  
  
"Kick your fucking arse all the way back to that field I kicked your arse on this afternoon," she hissed and then tried to get her arm free. He laughed haughtily, making her stomach flip with anger. He shoved his mouth over hers as she tried to scream at him.  
  
"Get off her!" came a shout as Mariah tried to pull him off her. He released Tia's arm so he could knock away Mariah. Tia took her chance and punched him in the stomach. He fell forward, shoving her against the wall again; she was going to have a big bruise there tomorrow. She saw two large bodies jump forward and grab the guy, throwing him back.  
  
"Get lost you fuck wit," one said throwing him back off her. The other threw a punch that connected with the side of his face, making him stumble back even more. Robert grabbed the guy and dragged him out. Tia was on her knees breathing heavily, he'd knocked the wind from her.  
  
"You okay T?" asked Tala appearing beside her. She didn't reply but nodded, still trying to catch her breath back.  
  
"Mariah alright Ray?" asked Johnny who had helped along with Kai.  
  
"I'm fine, is Tia okay?" she asked getting to her feet.  
  
"I'm fine," she breathed and stood up with help from Tala. Her back was hurting though and she was feeling short of breath, not surprising. "I think I just need to go home."  
  
"I'll take her," Johnny said sighing as she sat on the step. "Come on dick head."  
  
Please review me and let me know whether I should keep going. I'm thinking this is going to definitely go into a higher rating, so listen up okay.  
  
Luv yall  
  
Krayon 


	8. Training camp

Coming along nicely this story is let us continue  
  
`````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Johnny drove her home; she was silent the whole way. When they pulled into the driveway she turned to look at him.  
  
"Who jumped up and pulled the guy away anyway?" she asked out of the blue.  
  
"Kai and I did, why?" he asked in surprise. She shrugged and got out of the car, limping slightly as she walked inside. "Wow, no thankyou, how surprising," he muttered under his breath. He watched her for a moment before going inside his own house.  
  
"Hello Johnny, you're home a lot earlier than I thought you would be," his mother said in surprise. "What happened?" she asked slyly. He smiled wryly and shrugged before walking upstairs.  
  
"What didn't happen?" he asked himself when he had shut himself in his room.  
  
Several months past with Tia and Johnny's friends giving each other a hard time. Tia never did thank Johnny and they were forever bickering, especially on the field. It wasn't surprising when the team started to lose games because they wouldn't work together. After one game Tia had ended up knocking out Kai because of something he and Johnny had mumbled under their breaths. Johnny was lucky Tala and Bryan had intervened or he might have been lying on the ground with Kai.  
  
During the holiday break, Tia returned to Australia to visit friends and relatives, her father stayed to spend time with Celia, which meant Johnny had to put up with her dropping by unannounced too.  
  
"Morning Johnny, having a good holiday?" Simon asked one morning tending to his veggie garden in their corner of the yard.  
  
"Apart from the fact Celia keeps dropping in unannounced and doesn't give me a chance to get out of the house," Johnny replied walking over to have a look at the garden. Simon laughed.  
  
"No sweat, she usually always tells me so I'll let you know," he replied heartily taking a carrot from the garden. "Tia comes home tomorrow."  
  
"Oh joy, what's she going to do first? Break my nose or legs?" Johnny replied with a note of sarcasm.  
  
"Oh, probably neither, she'll be nice and refreshed so hopefully she'll be in a good mood," Simon replied straightening up.  
  
"Thank bloody god," Johnny replied dipping his foot into the pool. "Kai's still angry from that punch she gave him at the last game."  
  
"Well, Paul and I have come up with a plan to help with that, we're going to be going on a camp for the last few days of the holidays," he replied winking. Johnny stared at him for a moment and then walked back inside. "Oh before you go Johnny!" he turned around with his hand on the door.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Would you be able to pick up Tia for me? I've got to work," he said scratching around his tomato plants.  
  
"Are you kidding, that's not a good mixture, seeing me on her return," Johnny exclaimed.  
  
"I know, but we've got a couple of new Fighter Jets being processed and I need to test fly them all day to check them," he replied. Johnny sighed and gave in.  
  
"Yeah, just tell me when," Johnny said walking back inside. He went and sat on the lounge, flicking on the TV. "Stuck with the bitch again."  
  
The next day he headed for the airport to pick Tia up. Her plane got in at twelve so he had to be there at, at least, eleven thirty. He waited by her gate, and soon heard the announcement of her arrival. She appeared in the gate, following a group of other teenagers who she was laughing happily with. When she saw Johnny her smile faltered and faded. She approached him.  
  
"Nice to see you too," he said as she brushed past him. "I gather Simon told you I was picking you up."  
  
"Hm," she said before picking up her luggage as it was processed. He led her out to the car and drove her home, Tia silent the whole way. When they pulled up at the house Tia was very unhappy when she saw Celia's car out the front.  
  
"What is she doing here?" Johnny sneered getting out of the car.  
  
"I could ask you the same thing," she replied glaring at him "Considering she is your Aunt, stupidity must run through the family and skipped Rosie."  
  
"Fuck off bitch," Johnny snarled and walked into his house. His mother was home, she hadn't gone to work that day because Johnny needed the car to pick up Tia.  
  
"Did you find her alright?" she asked as he walked in. He slammed down the keys and walked back up into his bedroom. "I'll take that as a yes."  
  
They had training that afternoon, Johnny left just after Tia who went with her father. Celia was at his place chatting with his mother. He arrived to find Tia looking very tired and weary, she'd either attacked Celia and been told off by her father or was suffering the affects of Jet lag and had put up with Celia for the afternoon.  
  
"Hello Johnny!" said Simon brightly. "Thanks for picking up Tia for me, I've never seen her suffering from jet lag so badly before, considering she's flown all over the world," he added in a hushed whisper as she stretched out on the ground and laid down, waiting for everyone else to show.  
  
"Uh, yeah.are you sure it's jet lag?" Johnny replied in a whisper. Simon looked at him strangely but didn't have time to reply because Paul smacked him over the shoulder.  
  
"Simon, are you ready to tell the crew about the training camp?" he asked brightly. Johnny looked at Simon expectantly, as did everyone else who had just returned from a warm up jog. Mariah was joining them because it was holidays.  
  
"What training camp?" she asked excitedly. Tia also looked up at him, somewhat brighter than she had when she walked in the door of the house that morning.  
  
"Because we've been having problems with you kids acting like a 'team' I've organised for us to use the RAAF training grounds as a team work facility," he replied seriously. "We have to get you guys acting like a team otherwise you don't stand a chance of winning the premiership." He looked at Tia and Kai especially who both scowled in reply.  
  
"When do we leave?" Ray asked rubbing the back of his neck in frustration at Kai and Tia's behaviour.  
  
"We'll be leaving here at seven thirty on Saturday morning," Paul replied rubbing his hands together. He then handed out information sheets. "All your information is on this, need any questions answered just ask." Michael's hand shot up. "And if you don't attend your on the bench for the next four games." Michael's hand went back down.  
  
"Right, let's get to work!" Simon said pulling Tia to her feet.  
  
On Saturday Tia woke earlier than she would have liked. She'd wanted to rise at six but she woke a five. She sat around her room for awhile, not wanting to wake her father. She went and sat on her balcony, admiring the pale orange sky as the sun slowly began to rise.  
  
Her unit was one of the nicest in the neighbourhood, identical to Johnny's. Her room over looked all the other houses as her and Johnny's house were the only two story houses in the area. She could see right to where the beach was, only a short walk away. It wasn't any good for surfing though as the waves were very small.  
  
To the right of her balcony was Johnny's house, his own room being closest to hers. She didn't notice him walk out and stretch, he noticed her though. She was still standing in her pyjamas, short pale blue cotton shorts with a small pale blue singlet that covered only the necessary areas. Tia liked movement and hated restriction so many of her clothes were like that. It wasn't that she tried to show off her body, it was just the way she was.  
  
Johnny watched as she sat on a plump dark blue beanbag on a wicker chair, snuggling onto her knees and watching the sky change as the sun rose. A breeze blue and he shivered slightly as he was wearing nothing but shorts. Tia caught the movement in the corner of her eye and brushed her hair from her face, spotting Johnny staring at her from his balcony.  
  
"Hello Johnny," she sighed, lifting a blanket to cover her top half.  
  
"You're up early," he replied looking back out at the sun. It was now beginning to rise over the houses.  
  
"So are you, surprising," she replied, blowing hair from her face once more. She stood up and walked back inside, Johnny watching as she did so. She certainly did have a good body, curves appearing in all the right places and her physique was well cared for.  
  
"Heh, I wonder what made her the way she is though," he murmured looking back as the sun rose high into the sky.  
  
Simon was soon awake and out in the garage, getting his and Tia's survival gear ready. Both were well trained at surviving in the bush. He of course was more experienced than her, but she was always closest to him when she took part in exercises with other squadrons. He heard her walking downstairs, a small bag packed and slung over her shoulder.  
  
"Morning Tia, I didn't think you would wake until six thirty," he said looking at his watch and seeing it being only six. Tia dropped her bag and rummaged through a box in the corner of the garage. She was wearing green combat pants, a green brown singlet and had her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She pulled out several containers of camouflage paint, looking at the date on each one.  
  
"I was up at five, unfortunately," she replied and put three in her bag.  
  
"I better go and check to make sure Johnny's up," he said putting several things in the boot.  
  
"He's awake," she replied shortly before going inside to eat breakfast. Simon raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Johnny soon emerged from the house and dumped his stuff in his car before stopping to chat with Simon about the events they would be taking part in.  
  
"Its fun, well at least Tia loves it," Simon replied looking at his watch again. "Tia!"  
  
"Yes?" she asked appearing from beneath the Jackaroo. She wiped her hands and then stood up.  
  
"Oh, what were doing down there?" he asked as Johnny returned to his car and started the engine. Tia climbed into the passenger side of the car.  
  
"You had a small kitten sitting inside the front wheel compartment," she replied showing him the cat that was now resting under a small bush. He looked at Tia strangely and then drove down the road after Johnny.  
  
When they arrived everyone was waiting anxiously, several looking apprehensive, others looking thoroughly excited.  
  
"Goodo," said Paul as Tia and Simon ambled over followed by Johnny and Kai. "We're all here now."  
  
"Are we ready to go?" asked Simon handing Paul a map.  
  
"Yeah, got them all prepped and everything," Paul replied rubbing his hands together.  
  
"Alright, let's get going because we have to get set up before the PT instructors get there," Tia said from her position on the ground, she was lying on her side yawning.  
  
"How can you be so calm? We are about to totally get our asses kicked by RAAF PT instructors," Ray said as she stood up and brushed herself off.  
  
"Because it's absolutely boring," she replied walking back to the Jackaroo. They all gathered their gear into five different cars, Simon in the lead. When they arrived at the base, Tia got out and walked into the side base area that held all equipment for the training area.  
  
"What's she doing?" Kai asked Johnny as she spoke to a guard, getting irritated. When she said something in particular he held his hands in front of him and took a step back before disappearing into the building. He returned and nodded to Tia, who sneered something and then walked into the building.  
  
"What is Tia doing?" Mariah asked. There was a revving sound from within the building.  
  
"I think we're about to find out," Ray replied. Suddenly, Tia burst out, sitting on a dirt bike, she skid to a stop, pulled the visor on her helmet up and turned to speak to her father.  
  
"Dad, hand me the bag," she said. "He said they've got eleven spare, so you can take the Jackaroo and some of the braver ones can take the bikes." Simon grabbed a heavy duty plastic backpack from the boot of the truck.  
  
"Hang on; I don't want you to go in there alone. It'll be quicker and easier if someone else goes with you," he said refusing to place it in her outstretched hand.  
  
"Yeah, and like who is going to be able to keep up with me?" she asked wryly, snatching it from him. The was a snort from behind her. Johnny was leaning on his mother's car.  
  
"I think I would be more than capable of keeping up with the likes of you Tia," he sneered. Tia narrowed her eyes at him.  
  
"Fine, Johnny go and see the man over there and get set up, I'll organise everyone else," Simon ordered and Johnny ran to the officer standing by the shed door. When he eventually emerged Tia was putting fingerless gloves on her hands and looked at him, her eyes narrowed.  
  
"We going or what?" he asked putting his helmet on. Tia revved her engine, Johnny responded the same way. They both spun their wheels and took off, flicking up dust.  
  
"You know Simon, I don't think that was one of your best ideas," Tala said standing next to him as they watched Tia and Johnny speed into the bushland beside the base.  
  
"Ah, I think Tia will be able to control herself just this once," Simon said brushing it off. They begun to get themselves organised before heading out in the same direction.  
  
Tia slid round a corner, trying to keep ahead of Johnny as they raced through the bush, Tia keeping her eyes sharp for any sign of the camouflaged camp site. She was looking around for Johnny when he sped past her, jumping off a small dirt mound as he did so.  
  
"Show off," she muttered pushing the throttle once more. She kept close to his tail, trying to pass him when she could. She soon received an opportunity when Johnny was trying to watch her movements instead of the road; he hit a sandy hole and slipped slightly, giving Tia the chance to pass.  
  
"Bitch," he said through gritted teeth, correcting himself. She soon slowed down, Johnny pulling up beside her. "What are you stopping for?" he demanded.  
  
"Of course you wouldn't notice," she hissed in reply, taking off her helmet and shaking her hair free. He turned to look where she was pointing, indeed he wouldn't have noticed it if she hadn't stopped. To the side of the dirt track was a small worn path, leading into the scrub. Tia got off her bike and then took something from her pack; it was a small red stick, about the length of Johnny's finger. She pressed a button on the end and then dropped it next to the bikes. Johnny took his helmet off and looked at her strangely.  
  
"Where's this supposed to lead?" he asked as she began to make her way through the bush. She didn't answer but continued to push bushes out of her way as she walked. "I suppose you're going to try and ignore me this whole trip huh?"  
  
"No, just your stupidity," she replied moving aside so he could walk into the clearing. Positioned in the clear area was a camp site. The huts were camouflaged and were surrounded closely by bush. "Welcome to home for the next night."  
  
"What the hell is this?" he asked inspecting it. Tia rolled her eyes and walked into the camp, looking for something. She found it and brought it out, Johnny still looking in awe at the set up.  
  
"We have an hour to set ourselves up before our first exercise," she said looking at her watch. She turned and walked back down the path as she heard the sound of engines approaching. She walked back onto the main track.  
  
"Hurry up, PT ETA at about one hour," she shouted. Simon pulled out the gear from the back of the truck, handing it out to them so they could march it into the camp site.  
  
"Whoa, you guys set this up?" Kevin asked looking up in awe.  
  
"No, it's always here, this is a permanent training ground," Tia replied sitting on a tree branch. "PT's approaching!"  
  
They sat around in a circle, listening to the PT instructors run down of their exercises. Tia was basically sitting with her eyes shut, Mariah by her side had her eyes wide open as she heard the activities they were going to be performing.  
  
"Any questions?" the Lieutenant asked. He looked at Tia, who was still lying with her head leaning against a tree. "Sgt Shenohi!" She opened one eye slowly and looked up at him.  
  
"Tia." Simon warned. Tia yawned and then slowly stood up and stretched. "Salute!" Tia stiffened and then brought her right hand up into a proper salute.  
  
"Sargent Tia Shenohi reporting sir!" she shouted. The Lieutenant looked her over.  
  
"This children is how you shall address me and my fellow officers over the next two days," he said as Tia still saluted. "At ease." She stood with her legs shoulder width apart and her arms behind her back. "You will each be given a rank by Lieutenant Awara; this will reflect how he sees your standing in this team of misfits sitting in front of me!" Kai, Johnny and Tala scowled.  
  
"Thankyou Lieutenant Benson. Right, I have your ranks here; Tia has the highest rank along with Johnny, Kai, Ray, Tala and Lee. Bryan, Robert, Michael and Gary you guys are Corporals, Mariah, Enrique and Kevin, you guys are Lance Corporals," he said reading off a list.  
  
"Right, you will be separated into two teams, each with three COs to lead you. Lt Awara will also organise these. Your first exercise will be the obstacle course through the bush, you have half an hour to prepare," another officer said before leaving with the other two. Simon stood in the centre of the group.  
  
"Right, your teams are the following; Hiwitari, Kon, Balkov, Giancarlo, Myamyn, and Pinkie," he said pointing to one side of the circle. Tia scowled, she was stuck with Johnny. "You others this side. Now, this is just your team for the first two drills today, the drills tomorrow the teams will be different, maybe even the ranks." Johnny growled when he noticed Tia glaring at him. "Michael, you're with the offensive team, that's the team that will be challenging the two main teams."  
  
"And I'll be on the big team!" Paul said excitedly. Johnny heard Tia mutter under her breath.  
  
"I'd like to see you keep up."  
  
"Right, get organised and then head over to the West, you won't miss us," Simon said and then disappeared into the bush. Tia looked around at her team; Johnny, Lee, Gary, Bryan, Robert and Kevin. She sighed and then walked to her bag and had a drink before checking her watch.  
  
"You guys might want to change into the uniform they left you," she said opening a bag on a bench.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Kevin asked ambling up beside her. She pulled out uniforms, the traditional camouflage colours, similar to her own. They were all issued a green singlet, and camouflage combat pants. They even had dog tags. Tia dropped hers over her head.  
  
"Let's go," she said and headed into the bush.  
  
"Hey! Wait up!" Mariah shouted running after her, the others slowly catching up.  
  
When they arrived at the obstacle course, the four officers were standing with their arms folded, watching the two teams separate and stand on either side of the split course.  
  
"This drill will show how you can compete together as a team and help each other to overcome each obstacle!" Lt Benson shouted. They looked at each other and then at the course, it was long and the obstacles were pretty big. "You will be timed. So there will be no slacking, you must get to the finish within twenty minutes!"  
  
They lined up along a drawn line, Tia, Johnny and Lee at the front of their team. Kai, Tala and Ray at the lead of their's. Tia's eyes were focused as she brushed hair from her face.  
  
"We run for the first kilometre," she said loud enough for her team to hear. They nodded, all focused on the task ahead.  
  
"Go!" shouted Simon, a stopwatch in hand. The two teams took off along one path, Tia ahead of both parties. Kai and Johnny were closely following her, the other two Sargent's and corporals in a tight group behind them. They ran for the kilometre and then came to the first obstacle; hurdles. They were of two different heights; the higher ones had to be vaulted while the lower ones crawled under. Tia easily vaulted the first one and then rolled under the next, easily making it through. She stopped to glance behind to see how Johnny was fairing.  
  
"Come on Johnny!" she shouted as he rolled under the fourth hurdle. Lee, Bryan, Robert and Gary were right behind him where as Kai's group was more spread out.  
  
"Move it!" he shouted to his team mates as he rolled under the last hurdle. Tia shot off ahead, running half a kilometre to the next obstacle. She crawled below the net, hearing Johnny slide under after her.  
  
"Four minutes down!" she shouted back to him, pulling herself to her feet. She lifted the net up for Johnny and Lee but couldn't wait for the others because Kai was behind them. "We've got to try and keep the others with us," she said as they jogged to the next obstacle.  
  
"Why?" Lee asked growling slightly.  
  
"Otherwise we get penalised," she hissed in reply, glaring at Johnny who had pulled a face at the suggestion.  
  
"Hey guys," Robert panted appearing at Johnny's side.  
  
"It's about time you guys caught up," Johnny sneered as Gary and Bryan appeared alongside of him.  
  
"Wall," Tia growled in response to Johnny's statement. They looked ahead to find a wall, with one of the Lieutenants standing next to it.  
  
"Come on you bloody kids! Move it!" he shouted as they approached.  
  
"It's pretty high, we're going to have to boost someone up and then pull up from there," Bryan said as they came closer.  
  
"Tia and Lee, you jump up there Lee and pull Tia up and you two can then help us over," Johnny ordered. Tia said nothing, accepting the proposal.  
  
'Smartest thing he has ever said,' Tia thought to herself. When they were about three feet from it Lee launched himself into the air, caught the edge of the wall and then pulled himself up. He didn't realise Tia was about to do the same as he turned around to pull her up. She pushed herself up and balanced on the edge.  
  
"Robert first," Bryan said pushing Robert forward. They bolstered him up as the other team caught up. Tia and Lee caught him by the arms and pulled him up and over, he landed in the mud on the other side.  
  
"This is very uncouth," he muttered waiting for the next. They then pulled Gary up, with a lot more effort as he was very heavy.  
  
"God Gary, lose some weight," Johnny snarled, pushing him over.  
  
"Shut up Johnny," Tia grunted with the effort of pushing Gary over. Bryan jumped down and was caught by Gary as Tia caught Johnny's hand, pulling him up beside her.  
  
"Move it girl!" shouted the lieutenant as Johnny jumped down. She growled and then jumped down, being caught by Johnny and Gary.  
  
"Come on," she snarled struggling out of their arms. "Be seeing you Kai!" she shouted haughtily as they struggled to get to get Enrique over the wall. Kai glared at her and then yelled at his own team to hurry up.  
  
"Let's amp it up a bit," Bryan said looking at his watch. "We're now on ten minutes." Johnny snorted at the remark.  
  
"I'd like to see you keep up," he said, starting to speed away. Tia glared at him and continued to keep up. Bryan and the others fell back slightly, but didn't bother trying to keep up because they knew they'd only tire, like Johnny soon would.  
  
The next obstacle was a rope swing across a small water hole. Tia grabbed one rope and Johnny grabbed the other, swinging across easily and landing in the water. They waited for a second for the others and then took off again when they saw Kai and Tala running down the track.  
  
"I think we only have two more drills left," Tia shouted as they sped away.  
  
"What do you mean you think?" Johnny demanded, starting to tire and getting cranky.  
  
"This is my first time on this course," she sneered in reply. "I'm not a bloody psychic you know." They soon came to a tire run, set in mud. "Oh shit."  
  
"Come on!" Johnny ordered, pushing the others on. They struggled through it, Tia having to help the others through.  
  
"One more!" the Lieutenant shouted as they ran through a pool of water. "Come on, you've got ten minutes left!"  
  
"Gees, I'm not sure how much more of this I can handle," Gary said panting beside Tia.  
  
"Well, the hardest one is now," Tia replied. "The Gauntlet."  
  
"Don't tell me they named that after that contraption to help find knights in England," Robert said as they ran a corner.  
  
"I won't then," she replied turning to look behind them. It seemed Kai and his group had finally reformed. They were running in a tight group. "Look out."  
  
"There it is!" shouted Kevin as they approached, it was a very large bridge type contraption with swinging punching bags, moving pieces of timber and pieces of rope to climb across. "Oh boy, this is going to be fun."  
  
Tia ran up the stairs, the others following her. She watched the first punching bag and then rolled under the swing; she stood quickly, just missing being hit. She the jumped a moving piece of timber and ducked beneath another piece. The others followed her, a lot more clumsily; Kevin was caught hard in the stomach by a piece of wood and was caught by Gary before he fell. Tia waited for the others, managing to hold one piece of the gauntlet out of their way, straining against the push of the piece of wood.  
  
"Thanks Tia," Bryan said struggling to his feet after Johnny had brushed past her. Once Robert was through they sprinted for the finish line, Tia slowly catching Johnny. Simon pushed the button on his stop watch.  
  
"Nineteen twenty four, not bad kids," he said writing it down. They sat down puffing, all though Tia didn't really seem to puff much.  
  
"Let's not do that again," Kevin said rolling onto his stomach. Tia looked up as Kai ran across the line, closely followed by Ray who had Mariah on his back.  
  
"What happened?" Simon asked as he put her down carefully.  
  
"I twisted my ankle on the path," Mariah mumbled as Ray began to untie her laces. Tia looked over his shoulder as he pulled down her sock.  
  
"Sir, Corporal Nay cannot continue with her ankle like that," Tia said seeing it beginning to swell already.  
  
"We can move Michael into this group," Simon said nodding to the other Officers. "He and Paul are waiting back at camp for the next drill.  
  
"What is the next drill?" Robert asked from his position on the ground. The Officers turned to him looking stern.  
  
"You will address your higher ranked officers correctly Corporal Windsor!" the Lieutenant shouted. Robert winced and gulped. "Head back to camp; you're next exercise starts in half an hour." There was a groan and they all trudged back to camp wearily except Tia who stayed with Mariah for a short while.  
  
Please review me and let me know whether I should keep going. I'm thinking this is going to definitely go into a higher rating, so listen up okay.  
  
Luv yall  
  
Krayon 


	9. Paintball

Coming along nicely this story is let us continue  
  
`````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Paintball!  
  
When she returned to camp, the two teams were separated, lying on wither side of the circle logs.  
  
"Hey Tia, how's Mariah going to be?" Ray asked anxiously.  
  
"Fine," Tia replied shortly and sat down, looking up at the sky. She'd only just relaxed when the Lieutenants arrived.  
  
"Right, Michael will be joining team Beta for this drill. We'll be heading out to a specially set up quadrant of the bush. More details when we get there," Lieutenant Benson said. They groaned and followed the Lieutenants to the prepared quadrant of bush.  
  
"Good, now we'll set you up with your gear," said Simon opening the back of a van. Inside they saw rows and rows of guns.  
  
"What the hell?" Johnny said shocked.  
  
"Paintball, hmph," Tia said smirking slightly; Johnny looked at her in the corner of his eyes. He thought she didn't look happy, but it was hard to tell with Tia.  
  
"Right, we'll load you up with your different colours and each of you will have a coloured band around your arm to distinguish what team your on, Beta or Alpha," Lieutenant Samson said taking out the equipment. "Before we head out we'll show you how to shoot the guns, there might also be a few surprises in the course of this drill."  
  
"The aim of this drill is to take out all the members of the opposite team, and to try and prevent being taken out yourself," Lieutenant Benson said as they were all handed guns, goggles and arm bands of their respective teams. "Now, we'll show you how to fire these, never aim for the face, always aim for the bottom half of their body and we'll give you radios to stay in contact with each other, each team will be on a different frequency." They were given radios and headsets.  
  
"How wide is the designated area sir?" Tia asked loading her rifle.  
  
"There's a perimeter wire around the designated area, if you go outside a buzzer will sound and you'll have to back into the designated area, however we will be watching and if you don't move back in you will automatically be called as out of commission," Lieutenant Samson said.  
  
"Alright, I'll drive you to your start area, we'll call through the radios when you may start to make your way to capture your opposition," Simon said opening the back of a Hummer and letting them climb in.  
  
Tia sat on the root of a tree, she'd handed round her tins of camouflage paint in the Hummer and they had applied it to their faces. Tia wore fingerless gloves and was holding her rifle across her chest and looked the part of a well trained Army soldier.  
  
"How long is it going to take them?" Gary said impatiently. They had been taking a couple of practice shots at a nearby tree and were now ready to take on the Beta team. There was a crackle on the radios.  
  
"Come in Team Alpha, over," Lieutenant Benson's voice crackled.  
  
"Team Alpha here, over," Tia said into her head set standing up. "Request permission to move out sir, over."  
  
"Permission granted Sargent Shenohi, over and out," he replied. Tia looked at the others and they split out along a twenty metre course Tia and Bryan had decided on. They had decided that Tia and Bryan should navigate and that Johnny and Lee should act as co leaders and back up. The others were just going to have to follow their lead.  
  
"I hope you know what you're doing Shenohi," Johnny said into his headset.  
  
"Cool it Johnny, it's not me you should be worried about, you, me and Lee have to watch out for the others because in case you haven't noticed we are the Commanding Officers of this Team," she said emphasizing the word team.  
  
"Hey Sarge, what did Samson mean by 'a few surprises?' What's he talking about?" Kevin asked, he was positioned between Bryan and her to keep him from getting into any trouble.  
  
"It could mean one of two things," Tia replied, keeping a wary eye and ears of her surroundings.  
  
"Well, what are they?" asked Lee.  
  
"One is types of booby traps like a gun positioned to shoot if you cross a wire," she replied watching as her group advanced along the straight course chosen.  
  
"And what's the other one?" Gary asked. Suddenly there was a thwack as a paint shot hit a tree near Gary's head.  
  
"Snipers! Get down!" she shouted diving into the brush. The others followed suit, moving along the underbrush on their stomachs and elbows.  
  
"Where is it?" Lee growled angrily, trying to lift his head without being shot. Tia rolled onto her back to get a better look. Then she saw a glint in the corner of her eye, the hail of fire was coming from a small bunker up in one of the trees, it was only made of wood and didn't give that much cover.  
  
"Look up in the trees, about above Johnny," Tia said rolling back onto her stomach. "Think you can hit him Johnny or Robert? I don't think he knows where you are."  
  
"I'm on it," Robert said and lifted himself up, he looked up, saw the tree house and then took his aim; he could just make out the sniper's arm. They heard a thwack as Robert took his shot; he hit the sniper's arm dead on.  
  
"Sniper ten out!" the sniper shouted to let them know they'd hit. They stayed down for a moment and waited for Robert or Johnny's call.  
  
"All clear," came Johnny's voice. They stood up and looked around. "Anyone out?"  
  
"We're good, but we better move it, Beta might have heard us, although if I'm not mistaken this quadrant that was set out for us is about one acre," Bryan said making some quick calculations.  
  
"Depends on how they're advancing," Tia replied checking her watch. "Let's go." They spread themselves out again, a lot more wary of what they were going into.  
  
On the other side of the quadrant Kai's team were having about as much luck, except they'd found one of the booby traps. Michael had been just missed by a paint shot and they didn't understand what was going on every time they tried to pass the same spot.  
  
"Maybe we should try going another way," Ray suggested as they stood trying to figure out what they were up against.  
  
"But where should we be going anyway?" Tala asked indignantly.  
  
"Who knows, but this seems to be one of those 'surprises' that Samson talked about," Enrique replied.  
  
"Right, we'll go around and walk single file shall we?" Michael suggested.  
  
"No, we split up, hopefully we'll find them quicker that way, two to a group," Kai said firmly. "Tala and me, Michael and Enrique, Ray sneak around the right."  
  
"Right," they said and headed out.  
  
"I hope you know what you're doing Kai, remember they've got Tia on their side and Johnny's no slouch," Ray said reasoning on something that had been bothering him about the idea.  
  
"Big deal, they'll probably be at each others throats and won't even notice us," Kai replied. Tala heard a twig snap and stopped.  
  
"Something's following us I think Kai," he said looking around carefully. Suddenly a paint shot whizzed by Tala's hair.  
  
"Who the hell is that?" Kai snarled hitting the dirt.  
  
"Do you think it's one of the Alpha team?" Tala asked crawling along on his stomach.  
  
"I don't think they've caught up with us yet, must be another booby trap," Kai said lifting his head slightly, another shot whizzed past.  
  
"What if it's a sniper?" Ray said through his headset, they were now kneeling in the deep underbrush.  
  
"Ray's right, it could be," Enrique said agreeing. "We're on our way." They tried to make their way quietly through the brush, heading Kai's and Tala's direction.  
  
"Leave this to me," Ray said, as he was as quiet as a cat. He crept quietly towards the sound of the firing gun. He saw the sniper, hiding behind a large tree, a small branch attached to a helmet on his head. Ray took his shot, surprising the sniper and hitting him on the side of the arm as he turned around to the sound of the rifle firing.  
  
"Sniper one out," he said into his headset and then sunk to one knee.  
  
"All clear," Ray said grinning as the sniper nodded to him. Kai and Tala stood up carefully and looked around.  
  
"What else have they got hiding in this place?" Kai growled seeing the sniper watching the surrounding bush carefully, ignoring Kai's question.  
  
"Let's get going, I say we take it as wide as possible around the quadrant so we can surround them," Tala suggested as they began to walk carefully through the thick scrub.  
  
"Alright, Ray through the right, Tala and I will go through the left side, Enrique and Michael, take it through the middle," Kai said heading east.  
  
"Why us?" asked Enrique indignantly.  
  
"Because there's more of a chance of you being heard than us, and hopefully we'll get to them first, before you two get anywhere near them," Kai replied coldly. "Let's go." Ray looked at the other two sympathetically before heading west. Tala turned and headed north east.  
  
"I thought there was no I in team," Enrique said sulkily.  
  
"Shut up and move," Kai ordered through the radio. They moved slowly straight ahead.  
  
Gary was walking along the border of the quadrant after finding it when his buzzer went off. Tia had told him to watch out for one of the others as they might try to surround them. He had just been missed by yet another booby trap and his comment had made Tia laugh quite a lot.  
  
"Seen anything Gary?" Kevin asked.  
  
"There's not a thing happening out here," Gary replied. There was another crackle of the radio.  
  
"Sniper in my quadrant!" came Robert's voice.  
  
"On way!" replied Kevin. It appeared that Robert had not only tripped a booby trap but had also been pinned by a sniper that was moving through the scrub.  
  
"It's moving Tia, I'm not sure whether it's moving towards me or you guys so keep an eye out," he whispered kneeling in the brush. There was a thwack and a shot hit a tree near Robert's head.  
  
"It's about time it got a bit interesting," Lee said through the radio.  
  
"Uh oh," another voice said.  
  
"What happened Kevin?" Tia said anxiously.  
  
"I missed," Kevin replied into the radio, kneeling down quickly as the sniper turned around. There was another thwack and he fired at Kevin, just missing him so the splatter of the paint shot sprayed the top of his hair a little. He ducked down lower and began to make his way through the trees.  
  
"Lead him my way," Tia whispered, she was kneeling by a large bush, listening to Kevin scrunching through the underbrush and also hearing the thwacking sound of the sniper's gun firing as he chased him through the forest.  
  
"I thought snipers didn't chase," Johnny said indignantly.  
  
"These guys think it's a game, they must be rookies or something," Tia replied, the sniper finally coming into sight, still firing. She took aim as he approached her bush, careful not to move any of the leaves or let her gun barrel be hit by the rays of sunshine.  
  
"Help!" Kevin replied ducking as the sniper just missed once more. Tia took the shot and hit the sniper exactly over the heart. He looked down in surprise and looked around. Tia stood up carefully, holding her gun up and still aimed at him. He looked up at her in surprise.  
  
"Sn.sniper six out," he stammered shocked that a girl had taken him out.  
  
"Let's move Kevin, and next time don't go running through the brush like that, I reckon every sniper in the quadrant knows we're here now," she said sweeping past the sniper who looked at her incredulously.  
  
"Sorry," he mumbled heading to her right.  
  
"How are you going Robert?" Tia asked moving swiftly through the bush.  
  
"I'm out, he got a shot on me before he went after Kevin," he said appearing in front of her. Sure enough he had a big red splatter mark on his right arm.  
  
"Che.that'd be right," Johnny scoffed through the radio.  
  
"Shut it McGregor," Tia sneered. "Wait here Robert, one of the out snipers will come and get you."  
  
"You know, I think I can hear someone ahead of me," Gary whispered through the radio. Tia turned to her left.  
  
"I can hear someone here too, there so quiet though," she whispered crouching down.  
  
"I reckon yours is Ray then," Kevin said appearing behind her. "Only Ray could sound that quiet."  
  
"Don't be too sure, Kai can sound pretty quiet when he wants too," Johnny replied through the radio.  
  
"Kevin, you reckon you can sneak around to the right?" Tia whispered as they crouched behind a bush. He nodded and then slipped quietly away. "Gary, have you investigated the approaching person?" Tia asked through the radio, lying on her stomach and watching the bushes ahead of her.  
  
"Hang on, I'm just a little preoccupied," he said gruffly. Tia could hear firing in the back ground. "Ouch, damn it those things hurt. Tia I'm out, Tala got me."  
  
"Right, hang on out there, one of the snipers will come and get you," Tia replied, the noise of the approaching person had stopped abruptly and she had a feeling they were trying to listen to her. Suddenly there was a shout and Kevin jumped out from his bush and into another. There was the sound of firing pellets and then another shout.  
  
"Kevin out!" he shouted standing up and looking disappointed. Ray stood up too; Tia took her chance and shot him in the chest. He stumbled back in surprise and then looked around.  
  
"Who did that?" he asked in shock.  
  
"The top shot," Kevin said with a grin. Tia stayed down and then snuck her way forward, Kevin grinning at Ray but not saying a word until Tia was on his other side.  
  
"Ray out," she said standing up, her sniper scope up to her eye. Ray turned to her in surprise and she turned back into the forest. "Stay here, a sniper will pick you up."  
  
Kai had been trekking carefully through the centre of the bush after deciding it would be safer for him and Tala to split up. He'd heard Ray being taken out, but he wasn't sure who had taken him out.  
  
"How are you doing Tala?" he said through his radio. A crackling voice replied.  
  
"I've taken out the gorilla, I'm heading in now. I reckon we've gone past them and we should try closing in on them," he replied. "I'd avoid heading east though; I reckon Tia's probably lurking around there. Who's left anyway?"  
  
"Johnny, Lee and Tia I think. A sniper took out Robert; Ray took out Kevin so there can only be those three left right?" Enrique replied.  
  
"I say we take out Johnny and Lee, we'll have to gang up on Tia," Michael added in agreement.  
  
"Fine, you two split up and take it easy, she's going to be tracking our every movement," Tala said moving off again towards the east. Michael and Enrique nodded and split up, Michael going west and Enrique going east. Kai moved north east, hoping to avoid Tia.  
  
"How many snipers are out anyway?" Michael asked.  
  
"We've taken out two, but we don't know about the others," Enrique replied, suddenly he was shot from behind.  
  
"Shit! I'm out!" he said into the radio, Michael who was closest hit the ground looking around.  
  
"Hey Kai or Tala, a little bit of help would be greatly appreciated," Michael said as another shot flew his way. It missed him by a bit and he took the chance to move behind a tree trunk.  
  
"Got to clean up for you again huh?" Kai sneered making his way towards Michael's shout. He came trudging through the bush and then slowed down, hiding behind several trees and making his way towards Michael that way. There was suddenly a shout from above Michael.  
  
"Sniper five out!" They looked up to see he had been shot by a blue paint shot. As Michael sat up in surprise he too was shot with the same blue paint.  
  
"Hey, who's got blue paint?" Kai asked looking up at the sniper who was staring down at him.  
  
"If I'm not mistaken, that's Tia's colour," Tala said still making his way across the quadrant. "Well that's the colour of the spot on her rifle."  
  
"Shit, she's onto us already, Tia must be behind us somewhere," Kai said hurdling Michael. He ran noisily through the bush. "How the hell did she get behind us so soon?"  
  
"Who knows, but we'd better be careful. Johnny and Lee might be waiting somewhere through here," Tala said, he was starting to climb a tree he had seen with a rope ladder. "I've got an idea anyway, keep going until you can find some cover and then stay there. Let's wait for them."  
  
Tia sat up from where she'd been crawling on the ground. She'd taken out a sniper and Michael from the other team. She hadn't shot Kai because she wanted to find out what their plan for attack was first.  
  
"Hmm, trust them to lose organisation as soon as I'm close by," she said with a smirk. Michael looked up at her in surprise.  
  
"How did you get so close?" he croaked after being winded by her shot. She ignored him and strode past, rifle pointed in front of her. He noticed her face was painted with camouflage and she'd stuck a leafy branch in her ponytail.  
  
"Wait with sniper five, someone will pick you up soon," she murmured as the sniper climbed out of the tree. She picked up the trail of Kai and followed it carefully.  
  
"Johnny, Lee. Kai is ahead of me I don't know about Tala," she whispered into her headset. "Where are you two?"  
  
"I'm hanging around near the right border," Lee replied looking around. "I can see a trail of some sort; I can't tell whether it was Gary's or someone else's."  
  
"Are there a lot of broken branches and sticks?" Tia asked quietly, kneeling on the ground.  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"It's Gary's. I've taken out Michael so Tala's the only one that could be over there. Enrique was taken out by a sniper," Tia replied.  
  
"At least G.I. Janes good for something," Johnny sneered creeping around a large boulder. Tia frowned and kept running after Kai. She could soon hear him ahead of her and then stopped running. She walked on, listening carefully for any sign of him stopping or of Tala trying to creep up on her.  
  
"There must be a sniper around here somewhere, but he's not that great a shot," Lee hissed into his headset. "He's missing me by a fair bit, but I can't move or he'll ping me."  
  
"Then that's where Tala is," Tia whispered back.  
  
"And how can you be so sure?" Johnny asked from where he was kneeling and watching the surrounding bush carefully.  
  
"Because, no sniper could miss by a bit, it's always only a close shave," she replied rolling her eyes as she crept forward. It seemed Kai was sneaking up on something or someone. "Err.Johnny, where exactly are you?"  
  
"I'm hanging around near the centre of the quadrant I believe. What's it to you?" he asked indignantly. Tia looked up at Kai to see him kneeling and taking aim at something, there was no way she could take a shot to make sure he didn't hit Johnny.  
  
"Johnny get down!" she shouted sprinting out from her bush, catching Kai by surprise. He turned around and tried to take a shot at her, but she ducked just in time and he missed by inches. She knocked him down, making his rifle fly from his hand. Kai kicked Tia off and she flew back into a tree.  
  
Kai struggled to his feet and reached for his gun, but Johnny took a shot and managed to shoot the back of his leg. Kai looked up and growled.  
  
"Kai out," he snarled into his headset. "Nice one Johnny, I'd like to see you actually hit someone without fluking it."  
  
"So would I," he said with a grin. "Heh, nice shot on G.I. Jane though." He turned to see her struggling to her feet, she'd had the wind knocked out from her but other than having a bruised back she was fine.  
  
"Shut it McGregor, you should try listening if you're going to stand around gabbing like a two year old," Tia hissed brushing past him.  
  
"Hmph, and where are you going?" he sneered as she walked into a large bush.  
  
"Just like you to forget you've got a team to help out," Tia snarled before disappearing into the bush. Kai looked at him sympathetically. Johnny scowled but followed after Tia.  
  
Hey hey.I have people that luv me out there!! Luv you all! Krayon 


	10. Kickin em

Coming along nicely this story is let us continue  
  
`````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Kickin' em.  
  
They soon found where Lee was pinned down.  
  
"Where is he?" Johnny asked as they snuck through the bush. He turned to look up at a tree, it seemed very peculiar.  
  
"I can safely say for the first time, I don't know," she replied creeping along the undergrowth.  
  
"What took you two so long?" Lee hissed through his headset seeing them in the corner of his eye. Obviously Tala hadn't seen them.  
  
"Sorry, I had to save Flame Brain from fish face," Tia muttered into the headset. She turned to look for Johnny. "Hey, where did McGregor go?" There was suddenly another hail of fire from above her. She looked up to see Johnny grinning from a small tree house.  
  
"And Johnny saves the day again" he said with a smirk. Tia scowled and then perked to attention when a call came through the radio.  
  
"Benson to Shenohi, over," it crackled.  
  
"Sargent Shenohi here. What next sir, over?"  
  
"Head to your right, there'll be a sniper waiting for you there; he'll take you back to base, over and out." Tia looked at the others and then made her way to the boundary of the quadrant where the sniper plastered with blue paint shots was standing.  
  
"Sargent Shenohi, nice shooting out there," he said taking off his sniper scope goggles. Tia grunted but said nothing. They were loaded into a truck and taken back to the start base where the Lieutenants were waiting.  
  
"Aha, team Alpha, victory again I see, we might have to do something about that tomorrow," Simon said writing something in his book. "Right, we'll have lunch and then go to the next exercise, you'll enjoy this one I think," he said with a wink to Tia. She took off her goggles and undid her hair, shaking it loose.  
  
"It better be, I'm getting really bored," she murmured to no one in particular.  
  
They sat around the camp, eating some sandwiches that Paul had brought in from town. Tia was leaning against a tree, Mariah sitting quietly on the other side. Simon soon joined them.  
  
"How are you feeling Mariah?" he asked looking at her ankle.  
  
"I've been better," she replied shortly.  
  
"Oh well, you won't be missing out on anything, the next drills are single ability tests." He winked at Tia and then got back up.  
  
"Is your dad always so cruel?" Mariah asked groaning.  
  
"Yes," Tia replied shortly standing up and walking over to the group where they were being called to attention.  
  
"You kids have all done pretty good in the last couple of drills that focused on teams, the next one is an individual exercise, if you would all kindly get into the back of the truck we'll head over to the arena," Lieutenant Benson said walking over to help Mariah up so she could get into the truck.  
  
When they were loaded into the truck they were taken to another part of the training facility. Here there was soft grass and several large, long batons with soft foam pummels on each end.  
  
"You have got to be kidding," Tia said looking at the platforms elevated over a small foam pool. "You never let me do this drill," she added looking at Simon.  
  
"Well maybe your father figured it's time you graduated to the next level," Lieutenant Samson said smiling. Tia looked over at Johnny and smirked at him. "Everyone out!" They hurried out and gathered around the Lieutenants.  
  
"Right, your next exercise is focused on initiative and strength," Lieutenant Benson shouted walking amongst them. "You will practice shots first, lower body, higher body, as well as blocking and foot movement." They all looked at each other nervously.  
  
"Correct!" Simon shouted authoritively. "And then we will pit you one against another in the foam pit, lets call it a knockout." He looked menacingly at each of them. "And then you can go against us." There was a groan from the group. "Get your gear!"  
  
For the next half an hour they were drilled on their attacks, blocks and movement. They were soon led over to the foam pit and sorted into groups. There were two groups, each had three of the sergeants in it and the others were corporals.  
  
"Right, I want the corporals up first! Michael and Robert!" Benson shouted looking down the list Simon handed him. They stepped onto the platform, batons in hand and helmets on. "Oh yes, and I neglected to tell you.anything goes, alright, begin!" There were nervous glances all around. Tia walked over to her father.  
  
"Dad, is that a good idea?" she asked anxiously watching as Michael's knee was blocked by Robert's baton and Robert swung his baton and collected with Michael's face.  
  
"I don't see why not? Don't you and Johnny practically injure each other whenever you go out the back?" he asked in surprise.  
  
"But what about the others? Like Kevin and Enrique?" she asked incredulously.  
  
"They'll be fine, just practice because you're going to need to," he said with a wink and then announced Robert as the winner.  
  
They went through the corporals, soon having Robert, Bryan and Gary left.  
  
"Right, now we'll put through you sergeants," Simon said looking at the list. "First up, Johnny and Lee." Johnny stood up and put his helmet over his head, staring at Lee. Lee growled in reply and climbed onto the platform. "And go!" Johnny threw a swing straight at Lee's head but Lee managed to duck it just in time.  
  
"Come on Lee!" shouted Mariah from her spot on one of the benches. Lee stuck his foot out and tripped Johnny, making him lose his balance. He fell to one knee and then blocked Lee's hit, before swinging it around to knock Lee's feet out and then bringing the baton down on Lee's chest.  
  
"Ouch!" the others groaned as Lee rolled off the platform.  
  
"And the winner is sergeant McGregor," Lieutenant Benson announced writing something down. Johnny looked purposely at Tia who just looked towards her father and ignored Johnny.  
  
'Little Bitch, I hope I get to take her on soon,' Johnny thought to himself through gritted teeth.  
  
"Next, Tia and Kai.that can't be right." Simon said looking at his list.  
  
"I changed the list," Lieutenant Samson said nodding towards the two making their way to the platform. They climbed up the ladders and put on their gloves and helmets.  
  
"I hope you know what you're doing," Simon said as they picked up the batons. "You haven't seen these two trying to kill each other at soccer training and I haven't even seen what they're like at school yet."  
  
"Exactly my point, they can find out who is the stronger and hopefully stop them from trying to kill themselves," Benson replied he picked up his whistle.  
  
"And go!" he said and then blew the whistle. Tia jumped an attack by Kai and then brought the baton down on his helmet with a lot of force. He managed to stand up in time to hit her next attack away, making her lose her balance slightly.  
  
"Baka," she hissed stumbling, she turned around just in time to block a shove by Kai. "What, you think I'm just some push over blonde like the ones you date?"  
  
"Why not, you act as girly as they do," Kai sneered in reply. Tia's eyes widened and she knocked him back before throwing a swift kick in his mid section. He stumbled back slightly shocked. She took her chance and slid in, knocking his feet away. He landed on top of her baton which she then used to throw him off the platform.  
  
"Whoa." Kevin breathed as Tia stood up and looked down at him, reefing off her helmet.  
  
"If there's one thing I can't stand is boys saying I'm girly, remember that Kai," she sneered before jumping off the platform and sitting down next to Mariah with her eyes shut and arms folded. The others stared at her in awe while the Lieutenants laughed amongst themselves.  
  
It soon ended with Johnny, Tia, Tala, Robert and Gary going through to fight each other.  
  
"Okay, Tia's got the bye, Tala you're against Johnny and Gary you're against Robert," Samson said looking at his table. "We'll put Gary and Robert in first." They walked to the platform and prepared to fight, in the meantime Benson was talking to Tia.  
  
"So, your dad says you've been having some training games over in Australia," he said. Tia didn't look across at him, her eyes were hidden behind her bangs and she stared ahead when she answered.  
  
"Yeah, so what?"  
  
"I'm intrigued to find a seventeen year old girl that can mix it with the best on an exercise designed for the SAS," he said raising an eyebrow and then wincing as Robert was smashed by Gary.  
  
"Hmph."  
  
"What on earth would compel someone your age to train to become that?" Benson asked turning to look back at Tia.  
  
"A long story that I'm not going to waste my breath on," she replied as Robert stumbled off the platform. Benson shook his head and then stood up, getting absolutely nothing from the fiery teenager. He walked over to Simon.  
  
"Is your daughter always like that?" he asked in frustration as Johnny and Tala walked to the platform.  
  
"Like what?" Simon asked trying to tie a couple of ropes together for the next exercise. He looked over at Tia, her head was still down and she twirled her helmet on the ground.  
  
"Withdrawn, short answers, snide remarks, cold demeanour?" Benson asked as Samson began the battle.  
  
"I have no idea what you're on about," Simon replied getting frustrated by the ropes he was trying to tie.  
  
"I asked her about her training among other things and she just said so what and ignored my questions," Benson replied taking the rope from him.  
  
"She doesn't like questions, never has. She's always been a person that figured she could survive anything in life by ignorance or bottling her emotions, I can never get her to open up," Simon said as there was a groan from the boys when Tala was flattened by a well placed hit by Johnny.  
  
"But why do you encourage her, shouldn't she be out shopping or in cafes instead of playing war games with you and your mates?" Benson said incredulously as Tala stumbled back from yet another hit from Johnny.  
  
"I never encourage her, I used to try and stop her but I gave up on that. She's to strong willed to control sometimes, I let her be and she respects me for that I suppose," Simon replied as Tala jumped from the platform, throwing in the towel in the fight. Benson sighed and then shook his head.  
  
"Tia, you're up against Gary," Samson said nodding to the platform that Johnny was flipping off to land on the foam underneath. Tia slid her helmet on and then took the baton from Tala. She climbed onto the platform and waited for Gary to make his way up.  
  
"But seriously, what made her want to join you in the war games?" Benson asked watching as she stared down Gary.  
  
"I have no idea, I used to think she was a very shy and meek child in the days leading up to her tenth birthday, but on her tenth birthday she asked if she could watch the war games once. I agreed thinking she just wanted to see what daddy does, as kids often do. I never imagined she wanted to join in until she managed to get hold of a paintball gun and took out a whole battalion."  
  
"What!" Benson exclaimed in horror. "You let a ten year old take a rifle and take out a whole battalion of troops?"  
  
"One, I didn't let her, two it was a special corps group aimed on ambushing, she managed to ambush them," Simon replied off hand. Benson stared at him in shock and then looked back at Tia who was blocking and dodging all of Gary's moves. With a final hit she sent him into the foam.  
  
"But, why would she want to do something like that?" Benson asked, not noticing that Simon had moved on to talk to Tia who was sitting on the edge of the platform.  
  
"Your dodging needs to be a little more swifter Tia, he almost caught you there once, I have to admit you had me worried that you were going to land in the foam," Simon said with a laugh. Tia said nothing and stood back up as Johnny climbed onto the platform.  
  
Tia stared at Johnny as he put on his gloves and helmet.  
  
"Let's get this over with girly," he said smugly, hoping to provoke her into attacking early. She did nothing but stand there, her hand resting on the baton easily.  
  
"Combatants, ready? And begin!" Johnny swung the baton across himself, blocking a hit aimed at his chest. He swung his other end around and swept Tia's feet from beneath her, only to have her kick him from the ground making him stumble back.  
  
"Come on Tia!" Mariah shouted clapping as she flipped easily to her feet. She blocked Johnny's advance once and then twice, before pushing him backwards, putting him off balance. He fell onto his back and then looked up as Tia went to hit him sideways. He caught her baton and threw her over his head. She landed precariously close to the edge of the platform.  
  
"Way to go Johnny!" Kai shouted laughing as Tia scrambled to her feet away from the edge. Johnny launched himself at Tia, knocking her to the ground again. He landed on top of her and she managed to flip him over her head. He landed heavily but managed to struggle to his feet before she had rolled onto her front.  
  
"Come on doll face, I'm waiting, for you to start trying," he said with a sneer. Tia smirked slightly.  
  
"Well, I'm waiting for you to start trying, so how about we get this over with," she said smugly and took off her helmet. Johnny nodded and took off his own. Then both jumped forward, hoping to knock the other off their feet. Their batons clashed and forced them into a shoving position, Tia slowly gaining ground.  
  
"That all you got?" Johnny said with a smirk and quickly moved out of the way. Tia stumbled towards the edge of the platform and Johnny turned around, his foot raised ready to knock Tia off. He jumped forward and sent his foot into the direction of her back, but was caught by surprise when she flipped backwards over his head.  
  
"My turn," she hissed landing and gave him a hard shove. He fell forward off the platform.  
  
"And the winner is.Tia," Benson said in awe of the panting teenager. She straightened and dropped her baton, wiping sweat from her forehead. Johnny groaned and sat up, rubbing his head from where he'd landed.  
  
"And Johnny," she said as she flipped off the platform onto the mats. "Don't ever call me girly or doll face." She swiped hair from her face and then walked to the trucks that were going to take them back to the camp. Johnny groaned and sat up, watching as Tia stopped to say something to Mariah and laugh.  
  
'Damn that girl, she can seem so volatile sometimes and other times she is completely normal. I just don't get her,' he stood up and followed the others to the truck.  
  
Hey hey.I have people that luv me out there!! Luv you all! Krayon 


	11. Round 2

Hey guys.I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm leaving home in about 3 weeks so I won't be able to continue this story any longer because I just caught up to where I'm writing.  
  
If anyone out there would like to continue this story(With credits towards me of course) then please let me know because I know a lot of you actually like this story. Send me a review or email me ASAP people!!  
  
And onto my possibly last chapter.  
  
`````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 11  
  
Round 2  
  
Back at camp they set up dinner. Tia was nice enough to claim cooking duties before her father could step forward as he always did.  
  
"Thank god Tia can cook," Benson said sitting next to Simon.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Simon asked indignantly.  
  
"It means that if she couldn't cook, you would both starve," Samson answered with a laugh. Simon however was suddenly distracted, watching his daughter. She was withdrawing herself from everyone again. He sighed and shook his head.  
  
"Has she always been like that?" Samson asked in interest noticing it as well. "Withdrawn and ignorant of everything else?"  
  
"Ever since she took up with me." he said slowly and sighed again. "I can't get her to hang out more often, she'll hang out with Mariah and her friends every now and then. But it's usually only when Celia or someone else is at the house."  
  
"In that case I don't blame her, but what does she do when she's at home?" Benson asked watching as Mariah joined her, and Tia didn't even say anything to her but let the pink haired girl chatter continuously.  
  
"Turns Linkin Park, P!NK or Black Eyed Peas up as loud as she can, then she'll read or do her homework," he replied with a shrug.  
  
"Is she creative in anyway? I've heard creative people often do things like that, but they usually hang with other creative people," Samson asked as she leant against a tree and shut her eyes, oblivious to their stares.  
  
"She is as creative as they come, she's good at school in every subject except maths which is why she doesn't do it. And even then it's the really hard stuff she can't do. She can draw anything out of her head, she can write stories, songs, poems and she's a great singer," Simon answered thinking carefully.  
  
"Gees, how do you put up with her?" Benson asked shaking his head and standing up.  
  
"I stay out of her school life," Simon replied shrugging. "It's easier that way, I'm not embarrassing myself by getting confused at what she says." They laughed.  
  
"Right! We have one more exercise! Night time manoeuvres!" Samson bellowed getting every ones attention.  
  
"Right, I want Tia, Kai, Ray on this side with Gary and Michael as well as Robert," Simon said pointing to his left. They got up and made their way over, Tia and Kai glaring at each other.  
  
"Everyone else on me," Benson said walking over to another tree. They split up and went their separate ways. Tia's group was led deeper into the bushes.  
  
"What's happening sir?" Ray asked as they stopped about a kilometre away from the camp.  
  
"The next exercise is covert entry. We'll arm you with laser rifles, you have to infiltrate the base and knock over five bowls over halogen enhanced water," Samson said uncovering a small pit filled with laser rifles and laser identifiers that were to be strapped to the combatants chest.  
  
"Right, and how do we do that?" Michael asked. Samson gave him a stern look. "Sir."  
  
"We're going to fit you out with all the latest stealth gear and then you have to get in there without being caught out by the other team. Now we already know that Tala's a good sniper and that Robert is a good shot and can find sniper's quite well. You have to focus on all your high points," Samson explained handing out the equipment, setting it up for them.  
  
"Anything else?" Tia asked dully.  
  
"Yes, Kai's squad leader, you have to do as he sees fit," he replied looking at Tia sternly. She rolled her eyes and looked away, but not before glaring at Kai.  
  
"Right, when I give you the signal, you can move out," Samson said  
  
Tia checked her rifle's settings and then checked her eagle eye night vision goggles.  
  
"You guys ready?" came Kai's voice through the radio. They'd decided to surround the camp and come in from all directions.  
  
"They're going to be patrolling all entries and exits," Tia replied looking to her right where Kai was kneeling somewhere in the bushes. She could see his heat signature.  
  
"Well, we have to try and confuse them by taking an entry every five minutes," Kai snapped back at her.  
  
"Team Beta, move out!" shouted Samson. They stood up and slowly made their way through the thick scrub.  
  
"Kai and Tia, we'll wait for you guys to get around the other side before entering the building," Ray said going around to the camp's left.  
  
"No, you guys enter straight away, we have five bowls to knock over and no time to waste in case they have time to reform and support each other," Kai ordered. Tia sneered into the darkness.  
  
"Stupid idiot," she hissed to herself and ducked beneath a branch, careful to keep her ears open to any noise approaching her. She heard whispering to her left, which meant she had drifted in slightly and was very close to the camp. She moved further out and crept wide of the camp.  
  
"We're approaching the entry one sector," Ray whispered into his radio, he looked watched the entrance carefully, waiting for a heat signature to be read by the eagle eyes. "There looks like there might be two waiting by entry one, Michael, where are you?"  
  
"To your right, I'm getting ready to shoot one," Michael replied, he was lying on his stomach taking his aim. "You get ready to run in when I've taken one out, I'll try and get around to the next," Michael shot his first laser. It hit and there was a shout. He took the second shot and missed. He could here Ray crashing through the bushes.  
  
"What happened?" someone shouted from inside the camp.  
  
"Bryan's been taken out! And there's someone approaching entry one!" Enrique's voice rang out.  
  
"Ray! I missed the second shot! Watch out!"  
  
"I'm on it!" he replied and took the shot, hitting Enrique as he dove into a bush. Michael silently got up and moved quickly to the door entrance, seeing Enrique sitting on the floor. Michael smiled smugly and knocked over the bowl. Ray went to the other side of the camp site to where a second bowl was situated.  
  
"I've taken out bowl one," Michael whispered, stealthily walking out of the first camp room. He turned the corner of the building and heard a beep from his vest. He'd been shot. "Tala's playing sniper somewhere."  
  
"Right, watch out Ray and Gary," Tia hissed. "I'm coming into the back of the last bowl room."  
  
"I'm coming into bowl room 2," Ray added. He inched along the wall and looked in carefully. He ducked just as a red laser shot across the room. He dove into some bushes and slinked away carefully.  
  
"Did you get him?" Tala asked Robert.  
  
"I don't think so, but I think it was either Ray or Kai," Robert replied carefully glancing outside. "Any sign of Tia yet?"  
  
"None, but something's moving around outside bowl room 5," Kevin replied looking out the door. There was shout from bowl room 3.  
  
"I hit Michael!" Lee hissed and ducked a shot from his left. "But someone's to the left of room 3. Tala, where abouts are you?"  
  
"I'm making my way over the top now," he whispered looking down. He couldn't see anyone, or any movement. Suddenly, a red blue laser shot out of the darkness, just missing Tala's vest. "There's someone there alright, but I can't see them or their heat signature."  
  
"Bye Balkov," hissed a quiet, cold voice. Another laser shot out from a little to the first ones right and hit his chest reader. He looked down to see the name. 'TIA'  
  
"Damn it, Shenohi must have moved from room to room!" he hissed.  
  
"Oh no, we've lost our sniper and Tia's somewhere near room 3!" Lee growled walking between the two rooms he was patrolling.  
  
"I'm coming now," Johnny answered moving quietly through the camp. He ducked an incoming shot from directly beside room 3.  
  
"These two bowls are the only ones left, we stand and defend here," Lee ordered. The others nodded in agreement and set themselves up by the doors while Lee stayed in the centre of the two rooms.  
  
Kai sat back and looked around, Ray was still about and Tia was definitely still alive. Then he noticed that there were only two left in the huts.  
  
"Where's Johnny?" he asked. Suddenly there was a shout from Ray.  
  
"Shit! Johnny's taken me out!" Ray sneered angrily.  
  
"You snooze you lose," Johnny sneered through the radio and then laughed, slinking off.  
  
"Right, how many of us are left then?" Kai asked.  
  
"I'm still hanging out around," Gary's voice crackled over the radio.  
  
"Same Kai, but we've got about two bowls to knock over I think," Tia added as she climbed up a tree, her gun hanging over her shoulder.  
  
"Well, spread out and approach the last two bowls with caution, Alpha have probably reformed by now," he ordered and left his bush. He could hear whispering from inside the shacks. "Give me conformations of your positions."  
  
"To the left of Bowl room four," Gary whispered watching the entrance carefully. There was a flash and he ducked a laser beam just in time. "And receiving light fire."  
  
"Was that an intentional pun, because if it was it was really bad," Tia said quietly as she edged carefully along the branches.  
  
"Where are you Shenohi?" Kai demanded dropping into another bush as his Eagle eyes saw someone turning around.  
  
"About six feet up and ready to drop in," she muttered as she watched the Alpha team guarding the two bowls. "Hey guys."  
  
"What?" Kai said in frustration trying to figure out what Tia meant.  
  
"Wasn't Robert on our team?" she was puzzled by a figure that was slumped on the floor near the door.  
  
"Team Beta, this has become a rescue situation, not only must you knock down the two bowls remaining, you must rescue one of your own," Lt Benson's voice relayed through the radio's of team Beta.  
  
"Oh great, can you guys give me a distraction so I can at least knock down the bowls. Or would you rather we conform Captian?" she said emphasizing her dislike of the idea.  
  
"Fine, Gary give fire at anything you can see moving, I'll fire into Room five," he said lining himself up with the room.  
  
"On my word guys," Tia said unrolling a rope and tying it around the tree branch she was sitting on.  
  
"Ready?" Gary asked ducking another shot.  
  
"And Go!" she hissed. They opened fire onto the two rooms, not aiming but careful to aim above the ground near the doors so as not to hit Robert. Tia watched to make sure they weren't watching and then swung down, swing through both rooms and hitting both bowls with the butt of her gun. She swung back and knocked down Lee as he turned around.  
  
"Kai! Lee's out of room five!" she hissed and then turned to face Johnny and Kevin. Kevin was about to shoot when Gary opened fire and managed to hit him in the back. Johnny however managed to shoot Kai and Gary as they tried to run through the doors. Tia was unarmed as she'd dropped her gun when she'd dropped through the roof.  
  
"Like a deer caught in headlights," Johnny sneered raising his gun. He was about to shoot but Robert kicked out wildly at him and he tripped as Tia dove out of the way. His gun went flying out of his hand as he hit the ground. Tia ran to help Robert and untied his ropes. She was about to run out after him when Johnny grabbed her ankle.  
  
"Tia, you're mission is not complete until at least one of the rescue party is out," Sgt Benson crackled over the radio. Tia gritted her teeth and looked down at Johnny before kicking him in the face. He rolled over and dragged her down so that she was on top of him.  
  
"I always thought you liked to be on top of things," he sneered and began to bear hug her. She grunted as he squeezed al the air from her but managed to free an arm and punched him under the arm. She stood back up and jumped up, catching her rope and climbing out. She picked up her gun that had tangled in the rope and looked back down but couldn't see Johnny anywhere.  
  
"Tia Shenohi, meet back at drop off point." Tia growled but climbed stealthily through the tree tops.  
  
"You're not going anywhere Shenohi!" Johnny shouted climbing up into the tree. He moved with surprising speed and tackled Tia off the branch, making both hit the ground.hard. Tia rolled and got to her feet as Johnny did the same.  
  
"Well that hurt," Tia muttered to herself. Johnny grinned maliciously. Tia growled and then launched herself at him again, continually looking for her gun. She went to punch him, but he blocked it fairly easily and then sent a punch her way. She ducked and flipped back to her starting position.  
  
"Not bad, but you can't just keep running away," Johnny said wiping away a sliver of blood from his cheek.  
  
"Oh yeah?" she said challengingly, panting. "Just watch me." She flipped up into a tree branch and then moved swiftly through the trees, looking for the starting zone flag. She soon saw it ahead and rolled, grabbing the flag.  
  
"Operation over!" a voice called through the trees. Tia collapsed to the ground panting watching Johnny slam the ground with his fist.  
  
"Don't get too mad at yourself," Tia said laughing slightly. "You win the title of almost winning against me." Johnny looked up at her and then laughed a little himself.  
  
"I suppose you're right," he said haughtily. "And you win the prize for biggest pain in the ass." Tia shrugged and was helped up by Simon. Kai soon joined her, but refused to say anything to her. He felt it was her fault she'd been taken out. But this was no problem for Tia, she couldn't care less what Kai thought of her at the moment. Mariah limped over and sat next to her.  
  
"Hey, I was watching the whole thing on TV. You were brilliant, especially when you took out Tala, or when you took Robert from the hostage room," she said excitedly. Tia smiled gratefully, but what she really wanted at the moment was some sleep.  
  
"Alright everyone, return to camp and get some shut eye, you have all worked hard today," Sgt Benson ordered and they followed orders without so much as a groan.  
  
In their room, Mariah and Tia whispered quietly amongst themselves and were soon joined by Kevin.  
  
"You were great out there today Tia," he whispered. "I'd watch out though, I think some of the others aren't too happy about how you keep kicking their butts at everything they try."  
  
"I don't think Tia's got anything to worry about, she could kill every single one of those boys if they tried anything with her, isn't that right Tia?" Mariah asked. When Tia didn't answer they both turned to look at her. She was fast asleep.  
  
"Gee, she must be exhausted from all the work today," Kevin said getting up and stretching.  
  
"Well, she did pretty much single handedly beat her opposition alone in every drill," Mariah replied yawning. They said goodnight and went to sleep.  
  
The next morning they were woken by Simon running through the camp site blowing a horn. He strolled into the girls room.  
  
"Mariah! Tia.hey, where's Tia?" he asked looking at her empty and rolled sleeping bag. Mariah opened her eyes and looked herself.  
  
"Where did she go?" she asked groggily. There was a shout as cold water was tipped onto several boys who refused to wake up. Tia came sprinting into the room.  
  
"Oh hey dad," she said before jumping up and catching the tree branch that ran through their room and climbed through the open hole.  
  
"I have a feeling she's been up to something," Simon said cringing slightly. Sudden;y Kai and Johnny stormed into the room and looked around. Simon and Mariah burst out laughing.  
  
"I see, that's why she must have been passing through," Mariah said trying to slow her breathing. Kai and Johnny glared at her anhd then looked at Simon.  
  
"She's upstairs boys," he said before walking out with a wink to Mariah. The boys growled and left as well. Tia eventually climbed down and winked at Mairah.  
  
"What on earth possessed you to go and do something like that to them?" Mariah asked changing into her uniform.  
  
"I have no idea, I woke and went for a walk and thought, what the hell, they need to wake up anyway," she said smiling brightly. They went out for breakfast, Tia having to keep right away from the boys otherwise they'd try and strangle her to death. After breakfast they were supposed to go paint balling again and then they'd probably head home again, unless the gym was free and then they'd all be shipped into the base gym to work hard.  
  
"Alright, for the paint ball we want Kai, Johnny, Robert, Kevin and Gary on this side and everyone else on the other side except for Lee and Mariah, you two will come with me now," Samson said and walked off with Lee and Michael in tow.  
  
"Alright, Tia, Tala, Michael, Robert, Bryan and Enrique come with me," Simon said leading them in another direction. They were loaded with their same guns and vests. They were then taken to their starting point on the other side of the quadrant.  
  
"Alright, Tala, you're turn to lead you're troops, It'll be the same as before, but you now have a few more challenges to contend with," Simon explained through the radio. Tala looked across a Tia, but she didn't seem bothered by him being in command.  
  
"Okay, move out," Benson ordered through the radio. Tala nodded to them and they moved off in a horseshoe shape, Tia and Tala on either wing.  
  
"Keep it together and we'll have no problems," Tala said through the radio as they snuck through the under brush.  
  
"We have snipers in the quadrant just to my left," Tia whispered getting down and slinking under the bushes.  
  
"Yeah, I think I can hear them too," Michael added hiding behind some trees. He looked around the tree and was almost shot by a hail of paintball pellets.  
  
"What the hell is that? It's like a machine gun," Tia said ducking as it turned on her.  
  
"A new design we came up with, helps to get sniper's trained in the pressure of machine gun fire," Benson answered. "Not bad huh?"  
  
"Right.Tala, we need help on the west side," she said trying to see where the sniper was.  
  
"I'm kind of busy right now Tia, I don't think we've just got to worry about snipers," Tala replied.  
  
"There's another team, and this time they're pros," Simon added. "Included in this team is Lee and Mariah, as well as Lt Benson and Samson. Oh yes, and myself." Tia groaned as she rolled along the ground.shooting down the sniper on the way.  
  
Hey hey.I have people that luv me out there!! Luv you all! Krayon 


	12. To work together, or not to work togethe...

I figured I might as well keep going as far as I can go, but I still want anyone to claim this pretty soon!  
  
And I don't own Beyblade, just the plot to this story and Tia, Nanasi and all those other background characters.  
  
`````` Hienmar High  
  
Chapter 12  
  
To work together, or not to work together?  
  
"Okay, this time we're going to take out Tia and beat her at this stupid game," Kai said as they moved quietly through the bush. Johnny had already taken out one sniper and was now heading through the tree tops as a scout.  
  
"Yeah, it should be easier now, we know how she works," Johnny added in agreement.  
  
"You should know how she works already, you live next door to her," Robert said slyly, baiting Johnny.  
  
"Shut up bobby," Johnny snarled and ducked as a shot speared past his head. "Watch out!"  
  
"I'm on it," Kevin said and got on his stomach, aiming carefully as the sniper pinned down the others. He took his shot and hit the sniper in the arm.  
  
"All clear, lets keep moving, we want to catch them, not the other way around," Kai said as they got up again.  
  
Tia looked over at Bryan, who nodded and then moved forward. He and Tia were scouting along the west side of the quadrant and had decided to take it slowly because both had heard movement ahead.  
  
"See anything?" she asked as she hid behind another tree.  
  
"No," Bryan whispered. Tia sighed and looked to the left of Bryan.  
  
"Holy Shit! Bryan get down!" she shouted running after him. She dove on him just as the booby trap went off. It just missed her and she rolled off Bryan and onto the ground. "Ow."  
  
"Shit Tia, are you okay?" Bryan asked rubbing his head and getting up to check on her. She pushed him back down fiercely.  
  
"Stay down," she hissed and looked back up carefully. When the booby trap didn't go back off she slowly got up. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I think so at least," he replied looking around. Suddenly Tia ran forward slightly and knelt down on one knee. She motioned for Bryan to move to the right and do the same. He did as he was told and soon they saw Lee, moving quietly through the underbrush, a helmet on with leaves in it.  
  
Tia rose and aimed carefully, making sure Lee didn't see a flash of sunlight off the barrel of her gun. When she fired, Lee looked around wildly, but couldn't get out of the way of the flying paintball.  
  
"Lee out," he growled and then saw Tia. "Should have figured, why can't you at least let someone else win?"  
  
"What's the fun in that?" she replied simply. She continued through the bush, Bryan moving into the centre to help out Kevin.  
  
Kai jumped down from the tree that he'd been scoping ahead from.  
  
"I can't see anyone from the other teams, but I think we must be getting closer," Kai said quietly as he snuck around the side of a large tree.  
  
"What makes you say that, for all we know Tia and the rest of her team might have already been taken out," Robert replied. Personally, he didn't want to be on the same team as Kai, he was rude, abusive and thought mostly of himself.  
  
"You were on Tia's team last time, go figure," Johnny sneered in reply and then shot down a sniper that hadn't spotted them yet. "Come on, let's get going." They'd just been walking for another twenty metres when they were shot at.  
  
"Who is it?" Kevin asked looking around wildly, he was about to duck behind a tree when he was shot. He groaned and looked down. "Pink?"  
  
"I bet I know who that is," Gary said with a laugh. "You just got shot by Mariah!"  
  
"Oh great, I'm never going to hear the end of it now am I?" Kevin sneered as he went down on one knee.  
  
"Johnny, take the east side, Robert take the west side, we'll surround her," Kai ordered. They took her wide.  
  
"Watch out guys, she may be a girl, but she isn't blonde," Gary said as he approached on his stomach. He could just make out Mariah, kneeling in the grass. She had a helmet with leaves in it on and was looking around carefully, in the direction they had been. Suddenly she spun around and spotted Robert.  
  
"Robert watch out!" Gary shouted as she shot at him, he had obviously missed her, which wouldn't have been hard in all the camouflage she was wearing. She hit him in the side and then whirled around to shoot at Gary, but Gary was ahead of her and took his own shot.  
  
"Ouch," she said with a laugh and then sat down, smiling at Gary and then turning to Robert who joined her. "Not a bad shot huh?" Kai growled and they turned to leave.  
  
"Hey watch out guys," a female voice said from behind them. They whirled around to see Tia, smirking maliciously. Kai made a run for it, Gary and Johnny following. Tia laughed and turned to Mariah and Robert.  
  
"Hi Tia, give Kai hell would ya?" Robert asked.  
  
"My pleasure," Tia replied smirking. She hurried off in the same direction.  
  
"Tia, where you at?" Michael asked as they followed her up. She'd disappeared ahead of them on Tala's orders.  
  
"Have you guys ever seen chickens run with their heads cut off," she whispered  
  
"Why, who are you torturing now?" Tala asked from his spot in the trees.  
  
"You're best mates of course," Tia sneered in reply. Suddenly she dropped to her stomach. "Tala, I think I just found Lt Samson," she hissed. Tala froze.  
  
"Where?" he asked anxiously. Personally, he didn't want Tia taken out for his own protection, and he knew how much those pellets hurt.  
  
"Just ahead, I'd say they're getting close to you, keep an eye out for my dad and Benson," she whispered and then moved carefully forward. She could move with incredible speed and still remain stealthy, which surprised Samson as she shot him from behind.  
  
"Where did you come from?" he asked in surprise, setting down his rifle.  
  
"You're worst nightmare," she hissed and then sprinted off into the bush, on the trail of Kai and Johnny.  
  
"Simon?" Samson said into his radio.  
  
"Benson here, what's wrong, over?"  
  
"Shenohi just took off into the bush after Kai and Johnny. Heading in your direction, and seemingly cranky, over," Samson sat down and waited out the rest of the game.  
  
"Do you think we've lost her yet?" Gary asked as they slowed down and hid behind a line of trees.  
  
"Probably not, but we shouldn't just be worrying about Tia you know Kai. She's good, but her dad and the other officers are also in the game," Johnny reasoned looking out from behind a tree.  
  
"We'll deal with them when we get there, let's keep going and hope she's lost us," Kai said walking away again. He was about to walk past a tree trunk when a shot zoomed past him. He looked around in bewilderment until he realised the shot wasn't aimed at him. Standing beside him was one of the 'Elite' team. He turned to his right to see Tia standing with rifle aimed straight at the guy.  
  
"Nice shooting," Gary said raising his own rifle at her.  
  
"I look at it this way Gary, you shoot me, and I shoot Kai," she said turning her aim to him. Kai backed up slightly.  
  
"Right, and how many are left on your team?" Johnny asked raising his own rifle.  
  
"Tala?" she said into her radio headset.  
  
"Sorry kiddo, I'm out," he said hesitantly. "You're the only one left." Tia growled deep into her throat.  
  
"What? Let me guess, you're the only one left aren't you?" Johnny said slyly. Kai smirked and looked at Gary who was also smirking. Suddenly there was a rustling to her left. They all turned but a shot was fired, just missing Tia and hitting Gary. Tia shot several rounds into the bush along with Johnny and Kai.  
  
"Alright!" someone shouted standing up. "You got me already."  
  
"Benson?" Tia said looking at him in bewilderment. She didn't realised they'd shot that many rounds into the bush.  
  
"Yeah, you got me," he said with a sigh. Tia tried not to laugh. "I'm going." Tia turned back to Kai and Johnny.  
  
"Well?" Johnny asked looking at Kai.  
  
"How many of the elite team are left Tia?" Kai demanded. Tia shrugged.  
  
"I've taken out two, how many have you taken out?"  
  
"Lee," Johnny answered. Tia thought for a moment.  
  
"That means there would be at least six left," Tia replied and then spun around, rifle aimed into the bushes somewhere as she went down on one knee.  
  
"What are you doing?" Kai hissed getting down as well.  
  
"There's someone here and in my opinion, the only way we are getting out of here is by working together," Tia said and turned to look at Kai and Johnny. "Well?"  
  
"Right," Kai said slowly looking at Johnny. Johnny growled slightly but then nodded. Tia nodded too and then put her fingers to her lips, she got down on her stomach and pointed out several things for them to take note of. One was of a branch moving slightly by a small tree. Kai took a slow step forward and then aimed carefully below the moving branch.  
  
"Fire!" Tia whispered. He took the shot and heard a pleasing 'thunk' as it hit helmet. Tia then turned to Johnny and pointed out another one to his right. Johnny frowned and then took aim while Tia moved to his right. When Johnny took his shot several other 'Elite' team soldiers stood up and began aiming.  
  
"Shit!" Kai said starting to fire and run. Tia and Johnny stood and also began firing.  
  
"We're not going to get out of this one easily," Kai shouted taking cover behind a tree near Tia.  
  
"You reckon?" she asked sarcastically. Johnny jumped out from behind his tree and took several shots at the Elites. Tia spotted a hidden sniper taking aim.  
  
"Johnny!" she shouted and then ran towards him, dodging bullets by centimetres. He turned to see the sniper just as he was about to pull the trigger and was tackled by Tia. Both rolled onto the ground, winding themselves. Kai took out the sniper and then went to check on them.  
  
"Ever considered Grid Iron as a second hobby?" Kai asked as he pulled her up while firing with his other hand.  
  
"Never crossed my mind, I'm a roo remember?"  
  
"Rugby League then!" another voice shouted from above them. Tia looked up and saw her father taking aim.  
  
"Take cover!" she shouted pushing the other two away. She dove and rolled shooting into the tree as her dad hurried away, streaking through the tree like a monkey. She followed him, leaving Johnny and Kai to shoot the last two Elite soldiers.  
  
"You can't run forever!" she shouted trying to keep up, which was difficult as the trees restricted her view. She also had to dodge his own fire which he was doing every now and then when he came to a break in the trees.  
  
"Are we talking about the same person?" he asked as he shot back at her. She dove behind a tree.  
  
"Bastard," she hissed to herself as she got back to her feet. She heard running footsteps and groaned. "I forgot about the other soldiers!" She sprinted after Simon and climbed up another tree, rifle slung over her shoulder. She made her way through the tree canopy and kept an eye out for Simon, who had hid in a very well covered tree.  
  
"Tia!" Kai shouted looking around. "Where'd she go?"  
  
"Up here!" she shouted and hung upside down to speak to them. "Scout around, my dad's here somewhere." They nodded and split up, looking into the treetops for any sign.  
  
Tia was moving so stealthily gher dad had lost track of her.  
  
"I should have known better than to get into the trees, that's where she's at her best," he said shifting cautiously and looking down. He then spotted Kai looking around a tree on the ground. "Aha." he pulled his gun around to his front and aimed carefully at Kai's back.  
  
"Johnny?" Kai said into the radio moving out of Simon's aim. "Found anything yet?"  
  
"Nothing, but I noticed some tree branches broken up above," Johnny replied walking into Simon's aim.  
  
"Now, hold still," Simon whispered to himself. Johnny moved out of his aim yet again. "Damn it."  
  
"Tia? How about you?" Kai asked in a shout, hoping to find out where she was.  
  
"Yes Tia, how about you?" Simon whispered looking back down on Kai who was about to move back into his aim.  
  
"What about me?" Tia's voice said from behind him. He spun around, but too late. Kai and Johnny looked up in surprise as Tia shot Simon on the chest. "Oh my, caught me a monkey!" Johnny and Kai high fived each other before Tia climbed down. Kai helped her down.  
  
"Looks like we win Simon," Johnny said smugly.  
  
"Not quite, Tia's still alive," Simon replied. Kai and Johnny looked at each and then at Tia. She shrugged and dropped her weapon.  
  
"I surrender, can we go home now?" she said in an emotionless tone. Simon frowned and then sighed.  
  
"Alright, I suppose we had better be getting back and packing up," Simon replied. Ti a nodded firmly and picked her gun back up, walking with her father back to the exit zone.  
  
Back at camp Tia sat alone, waiting for their departure.  
  
"What's up with Tia?" Tala asked Johnny.  
  
"What do you mean?" Johnny asked looking to where Tia was sitting.  
  
"Since when does she ever work with you without argument? Or Kai for that matter," Tala replied. Johnny scowled and then walked away. But he was thinking along the same lines. Maybe she wasn't that bad. Yeah right!  
  
They soon arrived back to the main base, signing the bikes back in before driving home. Tia waited while her dad and Paul gave a last talk before letting everyone go home. Johnny waited too, wanting to thank Simon.  
  
"Hey Simon," Johnny said as they walked back to their cars. Simon stopped, as sis Tia but more because she had been speaking to Simon.  
  
"What's up Johnny?" Simon asked turning around.  
  
"Hey thanks for taking us out there, it was fun," Johnny said gratefully. Tia rolled her eyes.  
  
"Aw, don't sweat it," Simon said as they began to walk again. "I hear you kids have got your half year exams coming up. Might as well have some fun before hand huh?"  
  
"Great, thanks for reminding me," Tia said rolling her eyes.  
  
"What are you complaining about? You're always top of the class," Johnny sneered. Tia glared at him but said nothing.  
  
"Best be going, get some pizza for dinner huh Tia?" Simon asked nudging her. Tia shrugged and got into the car. Johnny looked at her for a moment. She didn't seem herself any more. He ignored the thought for a while and then drove home.  
  
Hey hey.I have people that luv me out there!! Luv you all! Krayon 


	13. HEY HEY! I'm back fans, and am looking f...

Authoress's note:

Hey all my reviewers. I'm so sorry I left you all hanging! But guess what I'm back and better than ever! I do however need a little help. If you guys have got any ideas for me lay em out! Events, couples or whatever any suggestions are welcomed!

Merry Christmas everyone!!! And review, review, review!

Luv Krayon


	14. Mixed Emotions

Okay guys, I'm back. This chapter is to hopefully get me back in the mode. As you know I don't own Beyblades. Could I have all my old reviewers back please!!! And new ones of course!

Chapter 13

**Mixed Emotions **

The next day they were all to start school again. Johnny woke up and went outside to see how the waves were. Tia was sitting on her balcony eating breakfast.

"Hey Shenohi, looks like you got a nasty bump there," Johnny said noticing the large purple bruise on her shoulder. She grunted in acknowledgement and kept reading a letter. It seemed to annoy her a little. Johnny gave up and went back inside.

"God she's a pain," Johnny said sharply as he walked out of his room.

"Who's a pain dear?" his mother asked walking up the stairs.

"Who else?"

"You really should give Tia a break; she's been working really hard to get along with Celia. You know what your aunt is like, think about it," she said kissing him on the cheek as she went to get her car keys.

Johnny showered and changed before leaving to have breakfast at the café. Tia was leaving at the same time and saw Johnny inspecting the bike. He'd been having problems with it before they'd left for the camp and Tia and her dad had been trying to help him fix it to no avail.

"Want a ride? I'm heading to the café to meet the others," she said flatly. Johnny looked at her critically; he wasn't sure whether they'd be able to ride together without getting into an argument of some sort. And what would the guys say anyway?

"That'd be great, thanks," he said shutting his garage door.

"Hey, it's Tia!" Nanasi shouted as the green machine parked outside.

"Hang on, there's someone with her," Mariah said squinting to see through the tinted windows.

"It's Johnny!" exclaimed Sammie. "But, he's mine! How could he!" Nanasi laughed at the look on Sammie's face.

"Gee Sammie," Demi said with a look of mock shock on her face. "I didn't know you and Johnny were together!"

"Well, we're getting there," Sammie said sulkily. She stood up and marched to the door as Tia was locking the car. Johnny was politely waiting for her.

"I think we better get out there before Sammie does something stupid," Nanasi said getting up. The others nodded and hurried out the door. Indeed Sammie was doing something stupid. She was screaming at Johnny and Tia. Both looked at each other in bewilderment.

"You bitch!" Sammie shouted as Tia began to laugh at her. She went to slap Tia about the face, but Tia's reactions were too quick. She leant back and Sammie missed by inches. The boys, sensing trouble, had come out as well.

"Cat Fight!" one younger student shouted as Sammie launched herself at Tia. Tia threw her off into the mud which made everyone howl with laughter as her cheerleading outfit was drenched.

"Get a life Sammie, you can have Johnny, he's my neighbour you stupid girl," she said stepping over her to get into the café. Johnny laughed hard with the other boys.

"I can't believe Sammie actually thought you wanted to date her, let alone Tia wanting to be with you!" Bryan laughed, which made the others howl even harder.

"What can I say, I'm in high demand," Johnny said polishing his nails, making them fall off the seats with laughter.

"What happened outside?" Oliver asked bringing over the drinks.

"Yeah, they were fighting over me," Johnny said brushing it off.

"That's a first and last event," Oliver replied offhand walking away as the whole lot of them spat out their drinks with laughter.

At school, the whole 'cat fight' thing was spreading like wildfire. Sammie hadn't shown her face all day in the common room or classes.

"I still can't believe anyone would think that you and Johnny were together. It's just not possible. I think you'd kill each other first," Demi said as they sat eating lunch. Nanasi screwed up a piece of paper and threw it at where the boys were sitting. It hit Bryan in the back of the head making him turn around.

"Yeah, but he's not really that bad you know Tia. You should really give him a break," Nanasi said offhand as she put on a blank face as Bryan looked to see who had thrown it at him.

"What, you like him or something?" Tia asked drawing a dragon in her sketch book.

"Me, definitely not," Nanasi said looking shocked at her.

"You certainly seem to be defending him a lot," Tia said looking at her critically.

"Don't you know Tia? Nanasi and Johnny are cousins," Demi said in surprise. "Everyone knows that."

"Nice of you to let me in on it," Tia said a tiny hint of disappointment. "So that means you know Celia then?"

"Haven't had the pleasure yet, she's on the other side of the family. I'm on his dad's side," Nanasi replied.

"Lucky you," Tia muttered as the bell went. "I'm finished for the day, what about you guys?"

"Nup, Commerce," Demi and Nanasi said in unison. "Hey, you know what you're wearing to the school concert yet?"

"Do I need to think about it?" Tia said pulling a face.

"You are going aren't you?" Demi said with a look of horror on her face.

"Can you guys give me one good reason why I should?" she asked.

"It's excellent, the boys are playing in it, we can rip off the juniors and someone in our year always holds a party afterwards!" Nanasi replied with a forlorn look.

"Sorry, still not convinced, who's holding the party?" Tia asked.

"Err…I heard it's Johnny or Kai," Demi replied as Tiana sat with them.

"What? Johnny? He hasn't even asked me if it's okay yet!"

"Maybe he asked your dad," Tiana replied sorting through things in her bag.

"Yeah, if he asks your dad it immediately over rules your decision anyway," Nanasi added with a matter of fact tone.

"Whose side are you on anyway?" Tia asked. Johnny soon walked over.

"Are you waiting for these guys to finish or are we going to go home now?" he asked in a bored voice. Tia narrowed her eyes at him.

"Pray when were you going to ask if you could use the yard for the after party?" Tia demanded angrily. Johnny's eyes widened.

"I asked your dad, he said it's cool with him. He and Celia are going away for the weekend anyway," Johnny answered shrugging. Tia opened her eyes wide.

"Th…There going away for the weekend. He hasn't even told me!" she looked to the ground. The girls looked at Johnny with a worried look; he motioned for them to leave.

"Come on, lets go to the café before training," he said picking up her things and throwing them in her bag. "My shout for the ride."

They sat in the café, Tia looking out the window with a slightly upset expression. Johnny looked at her and then sighed.

"Don't worry about Tia; I'm sure she'll start being nicer to you. I don't know what you must have done to her to make her hate you with such passion," he said in what he hoped was a soothing voice.

"How about saying that she needed a new stylist and life," Tia said not looking from the window. Johnny winced.

"That'd about do it," he replied eating a chip thoughtfully.

"Who are we playing this weekend?" she asked taking a sip of her coke.

"Harlington," he replied thinking about the team they would be facing. "They're alright; mainly fat shits though, couldn't run if their lives depended on it." Tia didn't reply. She was watching someone outside.

"Who's that?" she asked pointing to a Skyline that was pulling into the car park. A tall, tanned and cute guy stepped out of the car. He would have only been at least a year older than both of them.

"That's Demi's older brother. He's a real jerk, even Demi hates him at the best of times," Johnny said scowling at the look on Tia's face.

"I bet he is," she said in awe.

"At least we know you're not a lesbian," Johnny said in a slightly sullen voice. Tia looked at him with a funny look.

"Excuse me?" she said with a confused look and then her eyes widened.

"You didn't exactly make it seem like you liked any of us guys," he replied sulkily. Tia laughed.

"Yeah, coz none of you guys are worth liking," she said still giggling. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with a bad boy every now and then."

"Well, if you're after bad he's the icing on the cake. He got sent to prison for beating a girl and raping another," Johnny replied watching as he walked to the counter, his eyes on Tia. Tia looked at Johnny sharply.

"He did what!? What's he doing out then?" she hissed lowering her head so he couldn't see her face.

"He must have done his time, he was twenty one when he was put away and he was sentenced for eight years," Johnny replied just as quiet. Tia quickly finished her drink.

"Lets get out of here, we've got training tonight anyway," she said grabbing her bag. Johnny followed suite and they both stood up. But Tia found her way blocked by the guy with the skyline.

"Hey, I haven't seen you around before," he said in a malevolent tone which he obviously thought was sexy.

"Yeah, well…there's probably a good reason for that," she replied hastily trying to get past him.

"What's your hurry, why don't you stay and have something to eat with me," he said with a smirk and moving in on her.

"Man, we got somewhere to be, so why don't you sit down," Johnny said stepping forward.

"Well, if it isn't little Johnny McGregor. Still living off the pit of a mother are you?" he said with a nasty smirk.

"At least she doesn't need to force herself upon people to get what they want," Johnny replied shrugging. "In case you can't tell you're a little out of Tia's league so you might just want to give up while you're ahead, she digs only sportsman and military men, so try for the next one," Johnny said grabbing Tia by the arm and pulling her out of the guy's way.

"Oy, I'll get her, you know that don't you?" he said maliciously. Johnny suddenly walked quickly towards him.

"Don't you fucking touch any girl in this town, or every one of my friends will be trashing you and that piece of shit you call a car, you got that Joe?" Johnny said grabbing him about the shirt. Joe shoved his hands away.

"Got it," he said and then looked at Tia and winked at her. She suddenly came to her senses and her steely glare returned. She went to launch herself at him but Kai and Ray both grabbed her as they had both just walked in.

"Let me go!" she hissed.

"Whoa, easy tiger," Ray said pulling her out the door as Johnny ushered them out. "What's going on?"

"Demi's brothers out," Johnny replied. Kai looked through the window and saw he was still staring at Tia who was writhing under Kai's arm that held her in a headlock.

"Shit, we better keep an eye on him. I though he wouldn't be allowed back in town or something," Kai replied ignoring her shouts of rather explicit language.

"I think he's only not allowed within ten metres of the girl he raped or abused," Ray replied.

"Which means…" Tia pulled herself free from Kai's grasp by biting his arm. "That every other girl in Hienmar is free game."

"Not if we got anything to do with it," Johnny growled. Tia looked at him in surprise and gratitude but was quick to hide it before any of them saw it.

"_Idiot," _she hissed at herself, careful the boys didn't hear it.

"We'd best make sure all the girls know, and we'd all better keep an eye on them," Kai said. Tia knew for a fact that Kai was back on the market after finally getting sick of Raein and would love any excuse to be with a girl and act the hero.

"You girls make sure you don't be by yourself too often at night," Johnny said sternly to Tia.

"Yes sir," she said unlocking the car. Johnny frowned.

"I'm serious Tia," he said as the others watched her.

"Oh come on, you guys know as well as I do that I am more than capable of taking care of myself, wasn't that the reason you guys held me back just then?" she asked. Ray nodded slightly but Kai retorted fiercely.

"I only jumped in to hold you back because we can't afford to have you thrown in jail or something because you beat up some guy that can't hook himself a decent girl for one night." Tia rolled her eyes.

"Coming Johnny?" she asked not bothering to fire anything back at Kai. Johnny nodded to the others before getting into the green machine.

As the turned the corner into their street they noticed a familiar car in the driveway to Tia's house.

"Oh great, the bitch returns," Tia muttered under her breath. Johnny struggled not to laugh. "Shut up asshole."

"Now now Tia, just because you have the misfortune of having a very elaborate woman for your future step mother doesn't mean you can take it out on me," he said in a snooty voice before laughing as she hit him over the head. AS they got out of the car Celia stepped out of the house.

"Oh Tia, you should really consider getting a much more ladylike car. Hello Johnny, did Tia do the girlfriend type thing and offer you a ride to school today?" Celia said sniffily seeing her least favourite nephew.

"No, my bikes not working properly and my neighbour offered me a ride," he said shutting the door. He turned to Tia. "Can you take me tonight?"

"Whatever," she said not taking her eyes off Celia. There was something on her face that told her something was up.

"Oh yes, that's right. Your father won't be able to go to training tonight, we're going to dinner and then to the opera, you'll understand," Celia said maliciously. Tia's jaw dropped as she and Johnny stood by the hedge that separated the two side gates.

"So? What's wrong with that?" he asked as Celia walked back inside.

"Dad doesn't like the opera!" she hissed sitting on the wall.

"Maybe you thought he didn't and he did," Johnny suggested flatly. Tia glared at him with a steely glint in her eyes.

"How often does someone call opera singers 'fat clowns full of hot air' if they like opera?" she asked coldly.

"Got nothing, what time are you leaving?" he asked getting up.

"You're an insensitive bastard you know that?" she said resolutely.

"Whenever I try and be sensitive you throw it back in my face remember?" he asked referring to her behaviour back at the café. She turned and stormed inside.

"One nil to McGregor," he muttered before walking into his own back door. He found his mother sitting at the kitchen table with her laptop.

"Hello dear, have a nice day?" she asked, not looking up from the screen.

"Excellent until Tia destroyed it just then," he said flinging his bag on the counter.

"Why can't you just get along with her once?" his mother asked reading a piece of paper and then typing something into the computer.

"We do! But then she's always got to do something that ticks me off. Like Demi's brother is out of prison and we were warning her to be careful while she's out and she just shrugged it off," Johnny exclaimed. Rosie looked up in horror.

"Joe's out of prison! I hope you boys keep an eye on him, I know Tia can take care of herself but some the other girls aren't so lucky," she said getting up and getting a coffee.

"That's the problem; Tia can't always watch out for herself, he could easily get her from behind! But she doesn't see that!" Johnny shouted.

"Gee, for someone who swears he's her enemy you seem very concerned for Tia," Rosie said quietly. Johnny looked taken back that his mother had just said that to him.

"I…she…" he stammered. He was struck by how true that was. He knew they didn't like each other but they were for some reason get along quite alright now. And then when they did argue it was always something serious to one another.

"We just can't afford to lose her on the soccer team!" he shouted before storming up to his room. Rosie smiled knowingly.

"Of course dear," she said before returning to her work.

Johnny sat in his room taking in everything his mother had said to him. He walked onto the balcony to try and start his homework, but he could hear Tia shouting at Celia.

"Fuck you bitch!" she shouted.

"I don't think your father would like you saying that to me," Celia shouted back.

"Okay, can I point something out Celia, my father has about as much control over what I do and say as you do! None!" there was a crash and Johnny feared the worst.

"Oops, gee Celia, did I just break that really ugly vase that you brought over. My, what a klutz I am!" Tia said in a really high voice, mimicking Sammie.

"You little brat, when I marry your father I am going to make sure we send you to a boarding school on the other side of the country!" screamed Celia.

"Hey Smeelia, in case you haven't noticed I am old enough to take care of myself, therefore I can still live in this neighbourhood and go to any school I please! So why don't you fuck off to the other side of the country!"

"Poor Tia," Rosie said from the doorway into Johnny's room.

"She deserves it," Johnny said, trying to convince himself.

"Johnny, have you ever spoken to Tia, person to person about her, why she is the way she is?" Rosie asked sitting on his bed as he shut the door to his balcony.

"No, why should I care?" he asked trying to sound like it was a terrible idea and that he'd rather chew his own arm off first.

"You might like to start trying," Rosie said suggestively. "Try and get along with her. She's had a hard life from what I hear." With that she walked back out the room.

"Johnny McGregor get your arse out here! I want to go!" Tia shouted from the pool side. Johnny growled but grabbed his stuff and went outside to where Tia was waiting in the car.

"Want me to drive? You seem kinda upset?" he asked in a flat voice.

"Forget it, you wouldn't be able to handle it," she replied starting it up.


	15. Life Changing

Hey guys…I didn't get the response from the last chapter I was hoping for, but thanks to those that did. This chapters a little better, back to my old style I'd say. But hey, you decide, I like it though. I don't own Beyblade, but enjoy all the same.

Chapter 14

**Life changing…**

They drove in silence all the way to the soccer fields. Johnny could see that she was very upset about the events of the day and all though he did have the urge to say something to her that would either piss her off or make her laugh he resisted it.

"Johnny…" she said watching the others while they got their stuff on. He looked at her slightly startled by the soft tone of her voice.

"Um… yeah what?" he asked looking back to his boots.

"What happened to your dad?" she asked. Johnny stopped tying his laces and looked slowly up at Tia. She wasn't watching the others or looking at him. She just seemed to be staring into space.

"Um…he went to jail, and then mum put an AVO against him," he replied leaning against the green machine. She sighed.

"So you know both your parents?" she asked looking at the ground in front of her.

"Not really, he went to jail when I was two. I can't really remember him. He was a nasty character anyway. Used to beat my mother," he said finishing tying up his boots. He stood up then helped her up. "If he came out I'd be dealing with him myself."

"Hm…always trying to protect the weak and helpless huh?" she said with a small laugh. Johnny couldn't believe how vulnerable Tia looked. He almost wanted to hug. Almost. He laughed and grabbed her around the head in a headlock.

"Come on Doll face…" he said pulling her to the field.

The next day they arrived to school together again and spent a lot of the following week together. It seemed Tia had finally let him muscle in to keep watch over her with Joe out of jail. Johnny was constantly hounded by Bryan, Tala and Kai especially who had dumped Raein.

"You'd think you were trying to score points with her," Kai growled slightly.

"You'd think you actually wanted to date her," Johnny retorted in irritation.

"Well, there's always a possibility. Make her sorry she ever crossed me," Kai said watching as she stretched with Mariah. Johnny looked over at him his eyes steely.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"Oh you know, the usual. Sleep with her then leave her out to dry," Kai replied.

"Yeah I don't think that's ever going to happen with Tia," Johnny said sceptically. Kai raised an eye brow.

"And what makes you such an expert?" Kai retorted. Johnny just walked away to kick the ball with Tala, leaving Kai to keep checking out Tia.

Tia finished her warm down and chat with Mariah who had to hurry to work. She looked around for Johnny. He was still giving Gary goalie practice. She put her two index fingers in her mouth and let out a shrill whistle that echoed through the night making the rest of the team turn around to see who'd blown it.

"At least I know her mouth would be good," Kai said loudly enough for everyone to hear. A couple of the boys laughed but Bryan, Johnny and Ray just gave him a disgusted look. The three of them walked back over to the car park and began taking their gear off.

"Guys really, is that necessary?" Tia asked leaning on the door of her green machine.

"Aww…you know you love it," Ray joked. Tia gave a half hearted smile. It was partly true. She liked having the three of them for company. But Johnny was still a pain sometimes.

"Hey Tia…come for a drink tonight? We're going to the pub," Bryan said slipping a shirt on.

"Well, I don't know. Dad…"

"Is at the opera Tia," Johnny said nudging her. Tia looked sideways at him.

"You're not gonna let me say no are you?" she said looking around at them.

"Take her home Johnny, get her all girly then we'll meet you down there," Ray said as he and Bryan got into his car. Tia turned to Johnny.

"You're cruel you know that?" she asked as they slid into the car.

"Come on T. You're dads out, why can't you be?" he reasoned with a laugh. Tia frowned but said nothing in argument. Johnny shook his head slightly as they pulled into the driveway of the house.

"How long you giving me?" she asked.

"Two minutes," he replied. Tia looked up at him and scoffed.

"Bull, you'll need more than two minutes," she said raising an eyebrow sceptically.

"We'll just see shall we?" he said and raced inside his house while Tia took her time.

"_There's no chance he'll finish in two minutes,"_ she thought to herself as she put her stuff in her room and turned her CD player on. She walked to the bathroom, leaving the door slightly ajar as her music played up loud.

Johnny sprinted up to the bathroom and showered in a minute before running back into his room with a towel around his waist. He'd pre thought what he was going to wear and grabbed it from the bed. He put on some scent and ran back downstairs, grabbing his wallet and house keys.

"Johnny McGregor! What is your hurry?" his mother demanded as he dashed past her.

"Got to beat Tia!" he shouted running back to kiss her on the cheek. "We're going to the pub, don't wait up and tell Simon or Cel…actually just tell Simon." He sprinted out the back door and vaulted the back verandah rail of Tia's house.

"Gonna beat ya," he said as he walked in. Sure enough her music was still on and she was no where to be seen. He walked up the stairs to her bedroom, the door was open and she wasn't there either.

He then noticed the bathroom door ajar and water running.

"Thought so," he said and walked into her room, looking around. He noticed her cupboard open; he opened it a little further. It was filled with camouflage design clothing and belts. A shiny material caught his eye in the corner of her cupboard.

"Tia would wear this?" he said pulling it out. It was a long type top, with a few sequins and beads here and there. It was made of a light floaty material in white with light, pastel colours speckled here and there.

He put it on her bed which was made military style. '_Typical Tia'_ he thought.

He also noticed a pair of jean tucked into the corner, they were faded and whitewashed, looking almost brand new. They were sort of shiny, sprinkled with glitter.

"Nice," he chucked them onto the bed as well. He then looked at the pictures on her walls. They were all drawings and paintings she'd done. One attracted his attention abruptly. He leant in for a closer look.

It was a painting of sharp proportions. It wasn't exactly of anything, mainly of paint being thrown at the paper. The colours were what attracted him; they were bright put dark colours. Reds, yellows, orange with tiny scerics of black and dark blue through the colours.

"That looks painful," Johnny muttered to himself as he moved in for a closer look. He moved onto another painting that had words on it, it was behind the cupboard door that she'd left open. It was a 3D picture, of a body and a plastic knife in it. The words read:

Let me paint a picture

A picture flowing with unwanted love and pain

Let me paint a picture

With meaning and emotion

Let me paint a picture

With this gleaming silver knife

And spill the colour with so many meanings

Let me paint a picture

May it be filled with powerful symbolism

Let me paint a picture

With so much feeling that it hurts

Let me paint a picture

Here upon my chest

Johnny took a step back and that second the door opened making Tia scream. All she had was a towel on.

"Johnny! What the fuck are you doing in here!" she demanded. Johnny composed himself and somehow managed to stop looking at anything but her face.

"I chose some clothes for you to wear," he said wiping his suddenly sweating hands on his pants. Tia noticed this and tried not to smirk.

"What makes you think I'm going to wear anything you choose?" she asked walking to the bed to see what he'd chosen.

"Because it would suit you better than those camouflage clothes you're always wearing he said as she stopped next to him. Her eyes went wide and she gripped her towel that she was holding around her self.

"Wha…" she breathed and picked up the top. Johnny looked at her strangely

"What's wrong, it's not too girly for you is it?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"No it's not that, I forgot I had this," she said fingering the fabric carefully. Johnny watched her face; she seemed to be thinking, or more to the point remembering something.

"Um…how can a girl forget what clothes she has? Really? That stands out against everything you own," he said looking into her cupboard.

"Well, maybe I kinda wanted to forget it was in there. It belonged to my mother," she said laying it back on the bed. Johnny looked from her to it thoughtfully.

"Oh, well in that case if you don't want to wear it I'll understand, I'll be waiting downstairs. Take your time, we're not in a hurry," he said and began to leave.

"Hey Johnny," she said hastily, turning quickly. He stopped and looked at her slightly worried for his safety.

"Yeah…?" he said slowly.

"Thanks, for finding it for me," she said gratefully. Johnny narrowed his eyes slightly and then decided that her voice was the most sincere he'd ever heard. He smiled and kept going.

Johnny sat on the lounge waiting patiently. He slightly smirked at the thought of doing something nice to Tia. But then composed himself, suddenly realising she probably wouldn't wear it for the reason that it was her mothers.

He heard her footsteps come down the stairs. He laid his head back on the lounge pretending that he was annoyed.

"Well? Are you happy?" he asked looking back at her. His eyes widened when he saw that she was wearing the top and pants he'd picked out. His mouth dropped as she stepped from the final stair in her green stilettos.

"What's wrong?" she asked, a small smirk gracing her lips. Johnny wiped his hands slightly then smirked, taking control of himself again.

"Nothing, I forgot my camera that's all, this is one for the year book," he said cunningly. She put her hands on her hips, doing her best not to laugh.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up," she said then walked to the kitchen and picked up a few things off the counter. Johnny noticed when she strolled past him a heavenly scent. He felt weak at the knees for a moment but recovered before she walked back in.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked sliding her keys into her pocket. "An invitation? Get out!" He saluted making her chase him out.

When they arrived at the local they found the DJ had started playing and the group of friends were seated at a large table that consisted of many of the smaller tables.

"Whoa! Is that Tia?" Nanasi said walking up with narrowed eyes. "Oh my god!" Tia elbowed Johnny as he was about to say something and he bit his tongue. It was obvious she didn't want anybody to know that he'd actually chosen out the outfit for her or that he's even been in her room.

"Yeah, it's me," she replied as Johnny smirked and walked over to his mates. "Don't ask." The other boys were looking her over with never before seen interest. Truly she was something to look at know. The white put into contrast her tanned skin and her Smokey makeup highlighted her dark eyes and heavenly coloured lips.

"Whoa, now I think I'm definitely glad I'm friends with Tia," Bryan said smiling. Kai was speechless.

"Sucked in for you Kai," Robert said leaning back with his hands behind his head. Johnny sat down after buying Tia a drink.

"Yo," Ray said leaning forward. "What's the deal with you and Tia Johnny?" Johnny shrugged.

"Temporary truce, I'm just looking out for her until Joe gets put back," he said taking a sip of his drink. The girls were sitting at the same table but at the other end. It was temporarily empty while they all went to say hi to Tia.

The cheerleaders walked in and saw the back of Tia and didn't recognise her, but Sammie who was lead cheerleader saw the way the boys all looked at her.

"Who the hell is that bitch?" she said loud enough for her team to hear. They walked towards her, without her noticing and then Sammie pushed past her, making her stumble slightly.

"Oh I'm so sorry," she said in her high in sincere voice. She gasped when dark steely eyes glared back at her. "T…Tia?"

"Hello Sammie, I see you and your little brats have decided to join us, but this is a strictly intelligent group meeting, therefore I am forced to acquest to your request in joining the fellas over there," she said smiling fakely. Sammie blinked in confusion and pure blonde stupidity.

"She means bugger off the table is ours," Nanasi said stepping up next to her. The girls laughed at the cheerleaders' dumbfounded expressions as they walked to the table.

"Oh no Tia, you spilt a little on the bottom of your top," Tiana said pointing as they sat down, Tia waving to the guys but frowning as Kai swooned a kiss.

"It's alright, it's clear anyway," she said taking a tissue from Mariah. Johnny looked at her strangely but she gave him a firm glance before continuing to talk to the girls.

"So girls! What is it that brings you out looking so ladylike?" Oliver asked when the DJ took a break, making the surrounding sound levels drop so they could hear each other.

"Because it's Tia's birthday next week!" Miriam shouted, making Tia grab her around the mouth.

"You idiot!" she burst out loudly making the others laugh.

"Oh yeah, you're turning 19 huh?" Michael said appearing behind her suddenly.

"Uh…yeah," she said looking from Michael to Emily who was sitting across from her. He was getting very close.

"Oh Michael," Emily said blinking. "How's Raven?" Michael suddenly looked worried and glared at her before disappearing.

"What was that about?" Tia asked looking impressed at Emily's quick thinking.

"He's ex; they broke up when she had an overdose. He'd warned her a million times to cut the stuff but she wouldn't listen," Emily replied taking a sip of her drink and looking down the table at him. Tia looked at Nanasi and raised an eyebrow. Nanasi nodded.

"Emily…you like Michael don't you?" the whispered to her while the others chatted around them. Emily look dumbstruck.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about!" she stammered. Nanasi reefed Emily up by her arm and she and Tia ushered her into the Ladies.

"What?" Emily demanded as Tia and Nanasi backed her against the mirror.

"You like Michael," Nanasi said matter-of-factly.

"No!" she argued.

"I think you do," Tia said quietly. "You don't need to be ashamed of it."

"I'm not! It's just that…" Emily trailed off.

"You're afraid," Tia finished. Emily nodded miserably.

"Well, perhaps we could help you out some," Nanasi said fiddling with Emily's hair. Tia took Nanasi's bag and pulled out some eyeliner and mascara.

"This will do nicely." She began to work on Emily's face.

They soon walked back out and Tia noticed Michael had taken the seat closest to where she'd been sitting.

"Here Emily," Tia said pushing her towards her own seat. "Sit here so I can talk to Mariah about my game coming up." She winked. Emily looked a little nervous as Michael looked up at her, eyes a little wide to see a different Emily.

Nanasi and Tia looked at each other and smiled before Tia went and got some more to drink. Kai got up and followed her.

"Well, look at you, not such a tough girl in those clothes huh?" he whispered in her ear. He pushed his body close to hers; she could feel his heart beating fast and rolled her eyes.

"Get a life Hiwitari," she said as the girl gave her the drinks.

"Oh I've got one, but just one more thing I must have for it to be perfect," he said in a husky voice. She struck an elbow backwards into his ribs.

"Well, hurry up and go find it, it's definitely not around here," she said picking up the drinks and walking back to the table. Kai growled as Tia gave Johnny a drink and went back to her friends.

As the night went on they got noisier. Tia was thoroughly enjoying herself, it seemed the she and Nanasi had succeeded with Emily and Michael and had also managed to give Tiana and Robert a nudge.

"So what about you Nanasi, I can't see you hanging out with any of these guys without a reason," she said finishing her drink. Nanasi looked around her and her eyes stopped on Bryan who was listening to Ray then glanced at Nanasi. She smiled at him then turned to Tia.

"Sorry, what was I saying?" she asked. Tia smiled and then laughed as did Nanasi earning a strange look from Bryan. He nudged Johnny who looked at him.

"What do you think of Nanasi?" he asked as they continued to talk to each other in hushed voices at the other end of the table.

"Err…not much," he replied and then looked at him. "You don't dig her do you? Man, you got attraction issues." Bryan glared at him.

"Yeah, that a fact? What about you and Tia. You've had a stick up your ass ever since she arrived here," Bryan said with a sudden smugness knowing he was hitting a vein.

"Our relationship is none of your business, frankly I'm only helping her out now on my mothers orders because Joe's around," Johnny said calmly. He'd been practicing what to say all night in case that subject came up. Bryan rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you say," he said and got up to ask the girls if they wanted something to drink. Kai had kept his eyes on Tia the whole time.

"Give up Kai, I highly doubt Tia will ever be interested in you," Ray said from Johnny's side when Johnny nudged him.

"Oh we'll see, I have ways of making girls that think their hard to get fall at my feet." They just shook their heads and watched as Tia glared at him with steely eyes. The DJ started to play again.

"Come on Tia! I think you've had enough to drink now so you'll dance!" Nanasi shouted as Pink's 'trouble' began to play. Tia looked at her incredulously.

"You thought you needed me drunk for me to dance?" she shouted back over the music and Nanasi laughed and dragged her to the floor, the other girls following. They jumped around and sung to the music, laughing as they watched the boys make their way up. Tia also saw Sammie and the others glaring sulkily from their corner.

"Hey don't look now Nanasi," Tia said over her shoulder as they danced back to back seductively. Nanasi looked behind her and saw Bryan making his way to the pair along with Johnny, Kai and Tala. The song ended and Ciara's 'Goodies' began.

"Oh yes, now here is a song that I love dancing to!" Tia whispered to Nanasi.

"Why?" Nanasi asked.

"Watch…they love this," Tia said and she and Nanasi began to dance together, moving very close to each other. Tia dropped down and rose slow, moving her hips to the solid bass beat.

"Whoa," Johnny said as she spun around and she and Nanasi danced in sync, the same moves that Ciara was doing on the screen behind the DJ. They were both good, but Tia was better. The movement just seemed to suit Tia better.

Soon Tiana and Mariah had both joined in; they were surrounded by the girls and guys who were cheering them on. When the song ended there were whistles all through the club. Nanasi and Tia high fived, just before Bryan swept Nanasi away.

Deep Dish's 'Flashdance' came on and Miriam and Oliver came and danced with Tia. Oliver was mucking around with Miriam by dancing weird when Tia felt someone wrap their arm around her waist. She froze slightly as they pulled her towards them.

"Come on Tia, show me some more of those moves," Kai growled in what he thought was a seductive voice. Tia tried to pull away.

"Fuck off Kai, I wouldn't dance with you if I was being threatened pain of death," she spat back. He crushed her against him.

"Yeah, you're all talk Shenohi, you know you want it more than any other girl I know," he said pulling her to face him. She tried to shove him off her but he was indeed much stronger than her.

"I said let me go Fuck Face!" she growled at him. He crushed his mouth against hers. She fought back and then her instinct took over. She hadn't wanted to hurt him, mainly because they needed him to play, but this was not going to happen to her! Her knee raised and hit him in the groin; she dropped her foot heavily onto his foot before shoving him roughly backwards.

Johnny lunged forward as Kai stood up and pulled Tia behind him.

"Back off Kai, I warned you she wouldn't take it," he warned.

"You can keep the stupid bitch, she's a fucken hussy and doesn't deserve me," he said limping back out the door.

"You realise that was a really stupid thing to do?" Johnny said looking at her sternly. She looked back up at him.

"Your point?" she retorted.

"We're going to be a player down!" Johnny replied looking at her incredulously. "And you don't even care!"

"Correction, if you'd seen I didn't hit him right away and he deserved it," she replied turning her back on him.

"So, you could have just pushed him away," Johnny returned, his temper starting to rise.

"I tried that! He kept pushing himself onto me! What was I supposed to do, just let him keep trying to feel me up?"

"Well…" Johnny began finally getting cut. Tia stared at him, her eyes getting dark. Suddenly Johnny felt a sharp pain on the side of his face that sent him to the floor. He touched his cheek and watched as Tia stormed out.

"What's up with Tia?" Demi asked as she appeared from where Tia had just left. She looked at Johnny. "Oh, that would explain it."

"Yeah, shut up," he said. Then he looked at her strangely. "Err…Demi how did you get here?" he asked. Demi looked at him strangely then went wide eyed.

"Oh god! My brother is here!" she said and she sprinted back in the direction she'd come from. Johnny, Ray, Tyson, Max and Tala followed her out, yelling at Oliver, Kai and Enrique to watch the other girls.

I'm cruel I know. But hey, you're gonna love the next chapter, lets just say…WE WILL FIND THE TRUTH…about certain people. I'm getting giddy just thinking about it…


	16. Danger and Promises

Hey guys…I didn't get the response from the last chapter I was hoping for, but thanks to those that did. This chapters a little better, back to my old style I'd say. But hey, you decide, I like it though. I don't own Beyblade, but enjoy all the same.

Chapter 15

**Danger and Promises**

They ran outside to find Demi looking helplessly up and down the road.

"Did he bring you in his car?" Johnny asked grabbing her.

"No, I came in mine; he said he was coming straight after. He promised he'd leave my friends alone!" she cried.

"Yeah, but he didn't realise Tia was one of your friends," Tyson said. "We'd better split up." He and Max disappeared one way while Demi was led back inside by Ray.

"Come on Tala, he's a got a black Skyline," Johnny said. Tala nodded and ran down the other side of the street. Johnny looked down alleyways, at cars and was almost giving up hope when he heard a shout.

"Tala!" he shouted catching the other red heads attention. He sprinted to where he'd heard the shout. There in the car park behind the club was the Skyline. It was parked in the darkest corner.

"Let me go you Fucking Cunt!" Tia shouted fighting as he tried to shove her into the back seat of the car. Johnny heard a grunt as Tia's foot came into contact with Joe's stomach.

"You stupid bitch, you're going to pay for that. Fucking is exactly what I plan to do," he growled as he tried to grab her. She pushed herself further back into the back seat trying to avoid his grasp.

"Piss off!" she said kicking him in the face. He groaned, and then lunged at her. She gave a shout and tried to open the door but it was a two door. Suddenly Joe gave a shout and was wrenched backwards.

"I don't think she likes that you fucked up wanker," Johnny said throwing him on the ground. Johnny poked his head into the door.

"You okay?" She nodded.

"Fuck off Johnny, the little slut is mine," Joe said standing up. Johnny turned to look at him as Tia struggled from the car. Before Tia could do anything Johnny was punching his face in.

"Johnny! Stop!" Tia said trying to grab his arm. Tala arrived and reefed Johnny off Joe. The police were right behind him.

"You okay Shenohi?" Tala asked as she helped to hold Johnny back.

"Yeah, thanks," she said quietly watching as Joe was shoved roughly onto the hood of a car. Johnny stopped struggling and Tala and Tia let him go.

"Miss Shenohi?" an officer asked walking over to her as Joe was driven away. She nodded, suddenly feeling cold. "We need to ask a few questions."

"You realise you could have been in bigger trouble than Joe," Tala said as they sat on Johnny's car.

"Would have been worth it to see him put away for good," Johnny said peeling skin off his knuckle.

"Mr McGregor?" the same officer said approaching them.

"Yeah?" he said coolly.

"We need your details. You won't be charged, but we need them as reference," he said giving Johnny a piece of paper and pen. "You too Mr Valkov."

"Can we go then? What about Tia?" Johnny asked handing the slip of paper to Tala.

"She's fine, she's already left," he said as Tala gave him the slip of paper.

"Alone?" Johnny said and got into the car. "Say bye to the others Tala."

When he got home the lights were off in Tia's house and it didn't look like Simon or Celia was home yet. He put the car in the garage.

"Mum?" he said walking in the door. On the lounge was Tia, she looked like she had run the whole way. There was a bruise showing on her cheek.

"Here dear," she said getting up so Johnny could sit next to Tia. "I have to go to bed, it's alright Tia. He won't be out again." She kissed Tia on the cheek and patted Johnny on the shoulder.

Johnny watched as his mother went upstairs before kneeling in front of Tia. She had her face down and wouldn't look up.

"Hey, are…you okay?" he asked hesitantly. She was shaking slightly, still refusing to look up. "Tia?"

"I'm fine," she said quietly. She looked up, her eyes were red, but she wasn't crying. "Will you come for a walk? To the beach?" He nodded and helped her up.

They walked to the beach in silence, Tia keeping her head down. When they got there Tia took off her shoes and carried them as they walked along the break line.

"I love the beach," she said breathing deeply. He nodded and looked out at the breaking waves. "Mum and I used to go surfing, every morning. It was awesome."

"You surf?" he blurted out. Tia looked at him as he clasped his hand around his mouth, making Tia laugh.

"Yeah, it's just I don't like surfing by myself, and no one here seems to surf," she said with a smile to herself.

"We all surf! It's just that so much has been going on this year," he said. "Like you turning up and causing absolute havoc!" he smiled slyly. She blushed.

"Was I really that bad?" she asked shyly. For the first time she looked vulnerable. He smiled and put an arm on her shoulder.

"Why do you think you and I get along so well?" he joked. They both laughed. Tia bent down and picked up a shell.

"Wow, I've never seen a shell like this on the beach," she said looking at it. Johnny looked at it too. It was beautiful; it's curves perfect and its colour soft.

"Wow, mum would love a shell like that for a necklace. She loves making them," Johnny said.

"I didn't know your mum made necklaces, I've never seen them," Tia said looking up at him.

"She used to sell them at markets but she's pretty busy now." Tia looked at the shell.

"Will you give this to her then?" she asked holding it out to him.

"But you found it!" he said looking at her.

"Yeah, but I want her to have it. She's been very supportive of me. Even if you haven't," she said narrowing her eyes at the last words.

"In that case yes," he said taking it hastily. She laughed good naturedly. "Race you to the rock!" he ran off leaving Tia to shout after him.

She sprinted after him, her hair streaking behind her. She caught up and they tried to knock each other away. As they neared the rock which was on the edge of a park that joined the beach, Tia started to get the better of Johnny.

"Come on Scotty! Pick it up!" she shouted.

"Ooh, you gonna get it now!" he said and tackled her. They rolled in the sand. Tia sat up and put her hand on the rock.

"I win," she said puffing.

"Lucky fluke," he said lying back in the sand. She laughed and they sat watching the waves for awhile.

"Tia? Do you mind if I ask a question?" he said breaking the silence. She looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Sure, I guess," she replied. He took a deep breath.

"I noticed before, that you actually talked about your…mother," he scanned her expression before considering it safe to continue. "What happened to her?"

"Hmm," Tia sighed. Johnny was about to say something but Tia spoke again. "My dad was always away on exercise, my mother sometimes worked, sometimes not. But one day we got a letter to say he'd been killed in action."

"But…that means…"

"No, Simon's not my real dad," she replied solemnly. He looked dumbfounded. "Oh come on, you can't seriously tell me you didn't have your doubts." He shook his heads.

"Oh, well…we kept going it was alright, the RAAF paid us out, keeping us living well. But then we found out he was killed in Japan by Yakuza. And they wanted us…" she paused, taking a deep breath. "Dead. They wanted to put us under tight security but mum wouldn't agree to it."

"That probably wasn't a good decision. In July of the same year, a group of men invaded our house. My mother hid me under the house, in a special room she'd made. They raped and killed her." Johnny caught his breath.

"But what about you?"

"I came out too soon, one of them saw me and I tried to run to the neighbours. So they killed the mother, the little girl and the little boy. They got me…and…" she choked slightly, stopping tears that she hadn't shed in years.

"They didn't…did they?" he asked tentatively. She nodded slightly.

"When they found me, I was a nervous wreck, I wouldn't speak to anyone. And then Simon came back…to find his family dead. I ran to him and cried and cried, telling him it was my entire fault." She sniffed but still didn't cry. Johnny was stunned that she didn't cry.

"So did Simon take you in, because he lost his family?" he asked moving in front of her. She nodded, looking at her feet.

"He calmed me down, tried to get me to understand. He'd been working closely with my dad and knew all about it. He organised for me to be sent back to Australia, and joined me. He shifted from the Special Forces and raised me himself."

"Tia…how long since you…cried?" he asked. She looked up at him in shock, and then smiled slightly.

"I haven't cried since that day. No pain compared to that, I don't think it ever will," she said still smiling.

"But how could you stand to think, that…Joe was about to do just that?" he said. Tia's smile faltered and she looked dark. Her mouth moved but nothing came out. She suddenly lost all expression on her face and her eyes began to redden.

"I…I…" she burst into tears. Johnny grabbed her and hugged her. She cried silently onto his shoulder.

"It's alright Tia. I promise I won't ever let anyone do that to you again," he said running his hand along her hair. It was soft and thick.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she mumbled lifting her head. He shook his head.

"I promised mum I wouldn't let Joe get you. Didn't I keep my word? When I make a promise I keep it," he said smiling warmly. She smiled back and he hugged her again.

It had gone around school what might have happened on the night but no one knew for sure except the three. So naturally everyone seemed to have their own versions. Sammie was warming slowly to Tia, only because she had been the girl abused by Joe.

"Come on Tia!" Johnny shouted out the front. Tia looked out the window.

"Do we have science today?" she shouted back.

"No! It's Wednesday you idiot!" he retorted. "We've only got SLR!" He sighed and ran into the house, up the stairs to her room.

"What happened in here?" he asked looking around. Clothes were strewn in piles all over the floor and there were garbage bags everywhere.

"I'm getting rid of some of my old clothes and other junk, taking it down to the charity store. But now I can't find my school stuff!" Johnny shook his head and started helping her.

They ran into SLR five minutes late.

"Where have you two been?" Mr Turada asked looking at their red puffing faces.

"Working hard," Tia said before dropping next to Ray.

"Alright, we're doing cricket today, familiar ground for you huh Shenohi?" he said pointing to the bats and stumps.

"Actually, I never played cricket much," she said surprising the class. "That's not saying I don't know how to play, I just generally didn't favour it much."

"Alright, we'll just have to work on the basic skills first," he said finishing the roll.

Tia threw the ball to Ray.

"I don't get this; you guys don't use gloves or bases?" Tyson said with a confused look as he stood next to her.

"Look Ty, all you have to do is hit the ball with this bat, run as many runs as you can before they can stump you. It's really not that hard," she said catching it again.

"Err…" Tia shook her head and then watched as Ray stood with a bat.

"Ray, that's not quite how we use it," she said with a laugh. He was holding it like a baseball bat. She took it from him and showed how they leaned on it and swung it.

They soon began their game. Tia was on the same team as Johnny, Sammie, Tiana, Tala, Robert, Gary and Tyson.

"You're bowling first Tia!" Tyson shouted.

"No I'm not, Robert is. Didn't he tell you he used to play club cricket in England?" she replied before bowing and holding out the ball for Robert.

"Why thank you," he said before marking his run up. Kai and Kevin were in bat. Robert charged in and released it at lightning speed; Kevin didn't need to duck as it flew over his head.

"Wide!" Tia shouted as she was helping Mr Turada with the umpiring while still playing. Robert stuck his tongue out at her.

"I'm warming up!" he protested. Tia laughed before he came in again. This one was better and Kevin managed to hit it towards Sammie who caught it and attempted to throw it to Tala who was wicket keeper. It landed short and rolled to him.

"Nice try Sammie," Mr Turada called. "Back to you Robert!" Kai was now at strike. Robert bowled again and Kai whacked it. It looked like it was going to fly over Tia's head.

"Catch!" Tala and Johnny shouted.

"Fat chance!" Kai added running to the other end and tapping the ground as Kevin reached the other end and turned back for another one. But Tia launched herself skyward, arching her back and stretching out her arm. She got a hand to the ball, but didn't catch it. It began to fall in front of her; she brought up her other hand and managed to catch it in her left hand.

There was a cheer until she landed roughly on her back. Everyone ran to see if she was alright. She stood up easily grinning.

"Howzat?" she said making Mr Turada laughed.

"Ah, the original call for appeal…" Mr Turada replied nodding to her.

"Are you okay Tia?" Johnny asked as everyone returned to the change rooms after the lesson.

"Yep, I didn't actually think I'd be able to catch that," she said smiling brightly. They stood outside the change room laughing about Sammie falling on her face and when Sammie joined them laughed along with her.

After SLR they had recess and went to the senior study. There was a lot of arguing from inside. It looked like Tala and Bryan were fighting.

"Hey…guys what's going on?" Tia asked, stepping between them while Kai pulled Tala back and Johnny held Bryan.

"This fuckwit tried hitting onto my girl," Bryan shouted across at Tala.

"Fuck off man, she was asking for me!" Tala retorted. "She never even told me she had a guy! She came up to me in the club and was dancing up close." Tala was looking to Tia trying to explain himself out to her.

"Bryan, this is easily sorted. Who's your girl?" Johnny asked.

"Mariana," he replied still struggling to get at Tala.

"You mean Mariana the slut?" Tia asked in a deft tone voice. Bryan looked at her strangely.

"Excuse me?" he said, everyone looked at Tia. They'd never heard her swear before.

"Man, every girl in this year at our school knows Mariana is a four timing bitch, get over it," she said sitting on a lounge and resting her head against the wall.

"What…no she…" Bryan stammered.

"Yes she is!" Sammie shouted back. "I saw her with Jason Reynolds from St Peters last Monday, and they looked real friendly."

"I rest my case. How long have you been 'dating' her?" Tia asked him.

"Um…two weeks," Bryan said thoughtfully.

"Right, Sammie what day is it?"

"Wednesday," she said looking thoughtful.

"When did you see them?"

"Not the Monday that just went, the one before," Sammie said in a matter of fact tone.

"Well, I think you owe Tala an apology Bryan," she said leaning back and shutting her eyes. She felt someone sit next to her, and they kissed her cheek. Her eyes shot open in horror.

"Shit Oliver, you scared me man. Why are you at school today?" she asked the little French boy.

"I have a special course on here today. We doing a chef introduction course," he said showing her the Hors Dourves that he'd made.

"Wow, those look great!" Sammie said as they both took one.

"Shall we go Tia?" Johnny asked as he turned to leave.

"Why are we going so early?" she asked in surprise.

"Because," he said yawning. "I figured we might go for a surf." He grinned. She jumped up, smiling brightly.

"I'm there!" she said running out and dragging him out by his arm. She didn't notice him give Nanasi the thumbs up.

When they got home she went in and changed into her bikini and long board shorts. She walked downstairs and rummaged at the back of the garage. Johnny heard her and opened the roller door.

"What are you doing?" he asked just making her out behind a large pile of boxes. He soon found out. She walked out carrying a white and sky blue surf board.

"Looking for this." It had a picture of a leopard on its hind legs with a girl in a bikini leaning on its back.

"Nice," he said as she gave it to him to hold as she shut the roller door.

"Yeah, mum left the design in one of her books and I found it one day when I was looking," she said quietly, reminiscing as she looked at it.

"Its great," he said as she touched the girl. "I'll put it on the car for you," he said and she zipped up the cover around it.

"I'll just go and get my stuff, have you got the keys to the car?" she asked watching as he strapped it to the top of the green machine. He grunted in reply and she disappeared inside to get her things.

"Where do you think you're going?" Celia asked as she walked down the stairs. Tia ignored her as she walked into the kitchen and grabbed her bag.

"I'm going to enjoy myself, unlike what you make my dad do," she said walking back out the door. She heard Celia say something behind her back that sounded suspiciously like hussy, but nothing could upset her today.

"Let's go Shenohi!" Johnny shouted from the car.

"I'm coming, gees," she said chucking her bag onto the back seat. Johnny tossed the keys to her. She caught them then smiled, throwing them back.

"What? You mean I…?"

"Go ahead," she said pushing him away from the passenger side door. He smiled gratefully and then ran to the other side, looking like a five year old with a new toy. She had to admit, Johnny was good looking, but she still figured he wasn't her type.

"Awesome," he said starting her up. She laughed as he rubbed his hands together, flexing his muscles as he did so. 'Not bad' she thought as she put on her seat belt.

"Just take it easy okay," she said with a laugh.

"No sweat, I'll take care of both of you," he said smiling even bigger if possible. She laughed as he pulled out of the driveway.

When they got to the beach the car park was pretty full, which surprised Tia.

"Wow, someone must be having a party or something," she said as Johnny shut off the engine.

"Yeah, looks like it," he said sounding casual. But something in his voice got Tia's attention; he got out of the car before she could ask him. She got out of the car and walked around to the boot of the car where Johnny was getting some gear out.

"Hang on, why did you bring a huge esky and bags of ice?" she asked. Suddenly it went black and someone grabbed her.

I'm cruel I know. But hey, you're gonna love the next chapter, lets just say…WE WILL FIND THE TRUTH…about certain people. I'm getting giddy just thinking about it…


	17. Starting Something New

I don't own any of the beyblade characters, just the unknown ones here. I've been gone awhile so am a bit rusty at this but I hope it still keeps to the usual context

"Hey!" she shouted starting to fight. She heard laughter and stopped struggling slightly. "What's going on?"

"Don't fight Tia!" she heard Johnny laugh. Suddenly she felt herself being lifted into the air. She squealed slightly.

"Gee's I've never heard you squeal before!" she heard Ray's voice say from beneath her.

"Guy's what the fuck is going on??" she demanded. Suddenly she was dumped onto her backside.

"Ladies and gentlemen!! The lady of the day!!" Nanasi shouted from above her. The blindfold was ripped from her head. "Tia Shenohi!!"

"Surprise!!" everyone shouted as Tia looked around. In front of her were most of their year as well as the guys from the soccer team that didn't go to their school. She looked around in absolute shock.

"What's going on?" she stammered.

"Happy Birthday Tia!" Nanasi said jumping up and down beside her. She looked at them in shock.

"How did you guys know?" she asked in disbelief. Johnny smirked knowingly. "Johnny?!" she stood up quickly.

"What your dad told my mum who told me! Don't blame me cause Simon let it slip. He's your dad that's his job!!" Tia looked at him through narrowed eyes. "Why do I get a feeling I'm about to get an ass kicking?"

"You're not as dumb as you look hey McGregor!" she ran after him making all the partygoers laugh. He eventually turned around and tackled her himself while Nanasi started cooking the BBQ and Eddy prepared the salad dishes for serving. He knelt over her while she watched them preparing everything.

"What ya thinking Tia?" he asked seeing the thoughtful look on her face as he sat beside where she laid.

"I can't believe they went to all this trouble. I would have been happy to just go surfing with y- err...someone," she answered correcting herself hastily.

"Well they wanted to do it. You don't realise it Tia but you're starting to grow a lot on the people of this town," he said as she sat up to look out over the water. "I mean I told them about your birthday but they came up with this." She looked at him strangely.

"Exactly why would you want to tell them about my birthday?" she asked him through narrowed eyes. He shifted uneasily.

"Well actually I only told Nanasi because I was trying to think of something nice to do for you. Well, mum wanted me to do something nice for you, cause Simon told her how you'd never really had a birthday party or anything."

"So are you saying none of this was your idea?" she asked raising an eyebrow at him. He looked awkwardly at her.

"Well the surfing thing was my idea," he said uncomfortably admitting defeat.

"Busted..." she said slyly but then smiled. "Thanks." She gave him a cuddle and headed over to where Nanasi was cooking up a storm. Johnny sat looking a little bewildered until Ray sat down beside him.

"Well, well, well. Who'd have thought the beast would be tamed?" he asked nudging Johnny.

"I have no idea what you're talking about no one's gonna tame Johnny McGregor least of all Tia. We're just friends-" he looked critically at Ray who was trying hard not to laugh.

"Who said anything about you being tamed? You so just put your foot in it!!" he laughed and Johnny groaned and looked away. Tia and Nanasi were setting out food while everyone helped themselves. "I dunno what to say to her Ray. I'm actually scared of her because of everything she's been through."

"Scared? You? Of what?"

"Breaking the promise I made to her to not let anything happen to her," he answered. "After the incident with Joe, she told me everything that she'd been through. She's lived a tough life Ray and we didn't make it any easier on her." Ray looked thoughtful for a moment.

"You know the more you doubt yourself the more likely you are going to do just that," he responded standing up. "Come on let's get something to eat."

Everyone sat around enjoying the spread, Tia especially; she laughed and joked happily like she hadn't in a long time. Suddenly Johnny stood up.

"Ok people enough of this mushy crap! It's time to hit the surf!" he grabbed Tia and dragged her to her feet. "Get your board girl, the waves are actually good today." She grabbed her board as he took his shirt off along with the others. She too took her shirt off to reveal her bikini. It was pink. Johnny looked at her dumbfounded. She looked up at him.

"What now??" she asked in annoyance.

"Tia...you realise you're wearing pink?" he asked. Everyone laughed hysterically while Tia rolled her eyes and kicked sand at him. She ran down to the waves with everyone trailing behind her. She hit the cold water and lay on her board.

"Come on Scotty! Keep up!" she taunted looking behind. He shook his head and paddled faster to keep up with her.

By the end of the day Johnny was exhausted. He lay down on the sand as people began to leave and shut his eyes. He heard Ray talking to Mariah about the End of Year Dance. It struck him that everyone would be looking for partners soon and he began to wonder which girls would ask him this year.

Suddenly someone kicked sand in his face.

"Hey!!" he shouted angrily before he looked to see who it was. It was Tia; she was glistening from the sun hitting her wet skin. It was something to behold with what sun was left behind her as well.

"Dude, what are you doing. Don't you know that you should never fall asleep in the sun?" she said and shook the water from her hair.

"Yeah except there isn't much sun left," he said pointedly shutting his eyes again. She twitched her nose and then shook her hair to rid it of excess water. It dropped all over Johnny who had already dried from his surf. "Hey! Do ya mind?"

She looked down at him and shrugged then began to walk away. Johnny shook his head. "Oh no you don't," he got up and chased after her. She turned and saw him coming and tried to run away but he had caught her by surprise and he caught her up in his arms and started running towards the water.

"Johnny! Don't," she exclaimed half yelling and half laughing. He hit the water with her in his arms and threw her across the water. She jumped up throwing her head around to get the salt water out of her eyes. "Oh my god," she said dropping back down into the water.

Johnny was laughing so hard he didn't notice Tia not standing up. When he eventually settled he looked at her strangely. "Tia, what's wrong?" he asked as she scanned the water around her. He moved towards her.

"Don't get to close!" she exclaimed backing away. Johnny looked at her strangely. "Johnny, my top came off when I hit the water!" she hissed. Johnny almost fell over. She was kneeling down in the waves holding her arms around her chest. "Johnny you gotta help me. You put me in this mess." Johnny gave a chuckle.

"Oh alright, head a bit further out so you don't need to bend down so much and hurt your back." He started scanning the water, and then he noticed her pink top floating a little along the beach. "I found it wait here." He ran over and grabbed it and headed towards her. He stopped a little away from her. "Err...how do you want to do this?"

She looked at him and then towards the beach, everyone they knew had pretty much gone. "You're gonna have to help me Johnny, I can't do it in the water on my own." He went slightly red.

"And what do you suggest?" She turned around.

"Come on, I'm sure you've seen tits before...well that's what I've heard," she said. He frowned slightly but continued and slipped her top around her chest. He quickly tied it up and let her adjust it herself. "Thanks."

They got out of the water and walked back up the beach. There was an awkward silence between them. Johnny finally broke it.

"So did you go to any of your school dances?" he asked with interest.

"Not really, wasn't really interested and didn't like being seen around that kind of thing."

"Are you serious? It's like the biggest thing of the year here," he said in surprise. She shrugged as she bent over to pick up her towel. Johnny did his best to look away.

"Well, you better decide if you want to go or not cause the hypes gonna start soon," he finished picking up his stuff and unlocking the car.

"Why? It's not like anyone's gonna ask me," she replied with a laugh. He laughed as well...more sarcastically than anything though.

"Yeah that's not what I heard," he said opening the boot.

"What?" she asked in surprise.

"I heard quite a few people are thinking of asking you to the dance to be honest. And several people are nominating you as Year Queen." Tia's jaw dropped. Then she looked at him slyly.

"You're just trying to trick me so I'll go and make a fool of myself," she replied putting on a top.

"No serious, I heard some of the juniors talking about it," he said putting his hands up to show he meant no harm.

"Well then who are you going with?" she asked just to test the flow of the conversation.

"Whichever of the 30 odd girls I think is the best looking," he answered honestly. Tia laughed.

"Typical Johnny," she said as she got into the car.

Typical males huh...well I'll try to keep adding chapters from now on. I hope my old fans are still here


	18. Kings and Queens

I don't own any of the beyblade characters, just the unknown ones here. I've been gone awhile so am a bit rusty at this but I hope it still keeps to the usual context

**Kings and Queens?**

The next day at school there was an assembly. The seniors sat in their designated area and half listened in for any important information. The school principal stepped forward.

"And now I will announce the nominees for Dance King and Queens for this year." All the girls and boys suddenly paid attention except for Tia who was playing around on a GPS for her car.

"Sammi Knewl" There was a squeal from down the other end. Johnny nudged Tia.

"Gee I hope you get nominated just so you can beat the pants off Sammi," he whispered close to her ear. She elbowed him.

"Not so close will ya, anyone would think you were trying to hump my leg or something," she said frowning slightly at him. Johnny wrinkled his nose in annoyance.

"Raein Symore" Another squeal.

"Britany Ellis" Another squeal.

"Gees, you'd think there was a mouse running around or something," she murmured loud enough for Johnny to hear. He stifled a laugh.

"And for the boys, Kai Hiwitari." There was a murmur from around her and whoops from juniors.

"Ray Kon." More whoops.

"Told you I wouldn't get nominated," Tia said yawning loudly.

"Johnny McGregor." Tia spat her coke all over a junior. She apologised and looked at Johnny who was laughing incredibly hard at her. They missed the fourth name due to Tia's outburst.

"Oh I missed one," the principal said looking at the list. "Tia Shenohi for the girls' nominee." There was a huge roar from the school as Tia froze. Johnny was laughing and hitting her in the back while Nanasi had pretty much launched herself at Tia in excitement. Tia looked at Johnny in bewilderment then went after him.

"You did this didn't you?" she exclaimed and chased him around the senior's area.

That afternoon Tia was very much in a bad mood. She got home and went straight upstairs to her room and sat on her balcony. She had a feeling Celia was around and frankly could do without her snide comments. She heard her bedroom door open and close.

"Celia I am not in the mood, and I don't know where dad is and I don't care what you think of my car or my behaviour," Tia said without turning around.

"Celia's over my place," Johnny said walking into her room and out onto the balcony with her. He handed her a bourbon and coke.

"Just walk straight in and help yourself to my alcohol why don't you," she said looking at Johnny as he sat down.

"Yeah, no worries," he said opening his. "Cheers to telling you so."

"Oh shut up," she retorted opening her own drink.

"So how many guys have asked you to the dance so far?" he asked slyly.

"What's it to you?" she asked narrowing her eyes at him. He hesitated slightly trying to think of a witty comeback. "Let me know when you've got a comeback for that." She said seeing his brain ticking over.

"Yeah yeah, but seriously. Did anyone ask you today?"

"Yeah I had some random notes in my locker, a note on my car and a couple of guys actually come and ask me," she replied looking out over the ocean. Johnny laughed.

"And?" he asked. Tia looked at him expectantly. "Well are you gonna go with any of them?"

"Why do you want to know so you can run off and let the whole school know," she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Naturally!"

"Hell no, I might just go stag. I mean who is honestly gonna care if I do. It'd be classed as typically me wouldn't it," she said thinking logically. Johnny looked at her dumbfounded.

"But you can't go on your own! You're nominated for Queen of the dance! You've got to have an escort!"

"Says who?" Johnny had no answer.

"Look if you don't choose someone by the time the dance comes around you are coming with me," he said resolutely.

"Unless you're going to drag me out the door, you can't make me."

"Oh we'll see about that! And on that note whose running your campaign?"

"Campaign?" Tia looked at him slightly confused.

"Yeah whose gonna help you do you advertising campaign and everything."

"I'm not gonna have one, I don't wanna be in this stupid contest anyway. It's ridiculous."

You're missing out Tia," Johnny said waving a finger. "It's a lot of fun you know?"

"I'll take your word on it," she said faking a smile. He pegged his bottle cap at her which connected with her cheek.

"Ow Johnny!" she said leaning forward. She kicked out at him but he caught her foot. "You can be such an ass man."

"I like ass, I like to touch it, caress, slap it-" Tia threw her shoe at him making him duck and laugh. "Hey I never said your ass...mind you it's not bad either." She went slightly red but still threw her other shoe at him.

"Anyway, I'm gonna go get ready for training," she said looking at him expectantly.

"Okay I'll wait here, I'm ready to go anyway," he said, knowing very well she wanted him to leave.

"Johnny! I need to shower and change, can't you go downstairs or something?" she asked incredulously. Johnny looked up at her unmoved.

"It's not like I haven't seen anything like that before..." he answered slyly. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Besides the views great out here and I'm less likely to see Celia up here." She sighed.

"Ok, but keep your eyes out there!" she ordered. Johnny saluted as she walked past, earning a slap on the back of his head. He laughed to himself and continued to sip his bourbon. He heard the water turn on in the shower and turned to see where she was. She wasn't in her room so he figured she must be in the shower already. He was about to turn back to the view when he caught a glimpse of movement in the mirror. He could see her in the mirror because the door to her bathroom was slightly ajar! He tried to turn away but her body was captivating. The water glistening on her body was spell bounding and as hard as he tried he just couldn't look away. Her skin looked almost magical and her hair slid down her back so gracefully.

He gulped. He knew if he kept watching he was going to get caught out one way or the other but he just wanted to sit and watch her. 'She is gonna kill me!' he thought to himself. 'Oh well, at least I would have had this pleasure.'

Suddenly she turned the water off. He quickly turned around but soon realised he had a problem within his pants! He looked around hastily and saw a book lying on the floor. He picked it up and held it in front of him, being careful of where he positioned it. He prayed to himself that it would go down before she walked out.

"Hey Johnny," he heard her say. She walked to the doorway with a towel wrapped around her.

"Uh yeah?" he asked trying not to look at her in case his face was red.

"We're going to the gym today aren't we for indoor soccer or something?" she asked poking her head around the corner.

"Yeah Futsal actually. Bit different to indoor," he answered. She looked at him strangely with an eyebrow raised but went inside and dressed. Johnny let out a sigh of relief and began to calm down. He jumped when she poked her head out again.

"Sheesh, a bit jumpy aren't ya?" she asked in amusement.

"Well I thought you were naked!"

"Thought you said you'd seen stuff like that before?" she sneered smugly. Johnny stood up.

"Yes but you naked would scare anybody," he replied slyly putting his face closer to hers.

"Oh bite me," she said putting her hand on his face and pushing. She walked out of her room and downstairs to grab her water bottle, Johnny behind her. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah been ready since I got here...typically I have to wait for the damn women."

"You wanna walk flame brain?" Tia asked coldly.

"Oh harden up Tia," he said taking her keys and getting into the driver's side. She looked at him in disbelief but saw Celia so instead of arguing she quickly got into the passenger side.

They arrived at the Gym and hurried inside to find they were the first there. They went and spoke to the registration desk and found out where they'd be playing so they could go and sit down to wait.

Johnny lent back against the stands. Tia sat down next to him with a fair gap between them. She sat with her elbows against her knees watching other games in progress. Johnny looked at her intently. She wore a pair of black shorts and a light blue sports singlet with sweat bands on her wrists and her hair tied up into a high ponytail. Her long, tanned legs hung lazily off the step of the stand. Her phone suddenly rang and he quickly looked away as she rummaged through her bag.

He overheard her groaning and trying to refuse to 'do that kind of thing.' He looked at her strangely. She looked up at him and shook her head. She eventually hung and put her phone away.

"I don't even want to know what that was all about," he said looking away. Tia laughed.

"No nothing like that, get your mind out of the gutter. It was Nanasi, she's dragging me out to buy a dress for that damn dance," she explained. Johnny laughed.

"I have got to come with to see that," Johnny said laughing uncontrollably.

"Dude, if I can't handle dress shopping then what makes you think you can handle it?" she asked. Johnny looked at her slyly.

"Girls, changing into dresses, lingerie and hey it's me...they'll be asking to change in front of me!" Tia shook her head in disbelief. "Besides I need to get a tux." Tia just shook her and smacked her head against the stair. Her phone rang again.

"God!" she said picking it up. She went quiet for a moment then frowned. She hung up.

"What is it?" Johnny asked curiously. She looked at him with a confused but thoughtful look.

"I think we've been set up," she said finally.

"What??" Johnny asked in surprise.

"That was Oliver. The whole soccer team are at the cafe, laughing there head's about a 'plan'. Something about scoring one for the team?" she asked looking accusingly at Johnny. Johnny looked furious.

"Those ass holes!! They think us being friends is some big joke!" he said standing up angrily.

"Calm down Flame Brain. And who said anything about us being friends anyway?" she said settling back into the stairs. "What do you want to do about it?"

"What do you think I want to do about it?" he demanded still fuming. She shook her head and grabbed his arm, dragging him outside.

"Keys," she said putting out her hand. Johnny dug around in his pocket and handed them over to her. "Let's go home and have a drink."

When they got home Tia found Simon sitting on the lounge looking miserable.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Tia asked in concern. Simon looked up and then stood up very quickly.

"Tia, I wasn't sure if you'd be home before I went to bed." Johnny looked at them both uneasily.

"Uh Johnny, would you mind-" Simon began but Tia cut him off.

"What is it that you can't say in front of your girlfriend's nephew?" Tia demanded. She could see this conversation would no doubt have something to do with the witch. Simon looked from Tia to Johnny.

"I'll catch you later Johnny," Tia finally said not taking her eyes off Simon. Johnny nodded and disappeared out the back door. He walked through the yard to his own house.

"Johnny, where's Tia?" Rosie asked in concern. Johnny looked at his mother.

"Mum what's Simon going to do?" he demanded. Rosie shook her head ruefully.

"Celia has threatened to leave Simon unless he gets rid of Tia. She has him convinced she's a delinquent. She came and told me this afternoon. She's so proud of herself. I just hope Simon can see through her. She really is just after his money and a chance to move away from here!" Rosie said.

"I've got to go-" suddenly something burst through the door and straight into him. It was Tia. She was crying like she had that night on the beach. Johnny looked down at her as she looked up at him, with so much pain in her eyes.

"That bitch!" was all she managed to say before she threw herself into Johnny's shoulder. He grabbed her and held her. Rosie ran around the counter and patted her back. Suddenly she heard the sliding door of Tia's house slide open.

"Johnny takes her to your room, quickly," Rosie said pushing open the hallway door. But Tia was so weak with grief she wouldn't move. Her body went limp and all she wanted to do was crumple to the floor. Johnny grabbed her legs and lifted her into his arms and quickly carried her up the stairs and into his room. He gently laid her on his bed and quietly shut the door so she couldn't hear what was being said downstairs. He put his ear to the door to try and hear what was being said but all he could hear was Tia's sobs. He looked back at the bed where she was curled on her side, her body shivering. He went and sat on the bed.

"Tia, come on it can't be that bad. What did he say," he asked unsure of whether he should ask. She rolled onto her back and wiped her eyes a little pathetically.

"He said he was going to send me back to Australia, to a boarding school. He thought perhaps I would behave better at a girl's prep school rather than here. It sounded like she'd pre recorded him!" She burst into tears again. Her body was shaking terribly, so he pulled a blanket from his cupboard and sat her up so he could wrap the blanket around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry Tia, I'm sure he doesn't mean it. Surely he'll come to his senses eventually." Johnny saw she was still shaking. He thought carefully and then sidled closer to her and put his arm around her. She didn't move away, but rested her head on his shoulder. "Do you know when he was planning on sending you away?"

"I didn't wait to find out," she managed between sobs. "I should have but..."

"It's okay Tia. It doesn't matter. What matters is he can't send you away if you don't want to go. Especially in Australia. Isn't your countries adult age 18?" Tia slowed her breathing slightly.

"Well yeah but here he can," she replied.

"We'll think of something. I'm sure mum will let you stay here until you decide what you wanna do. Or Nanasi will let you stay there if you don't want to be so close to Smeelia," he reasoned. Tia managed a nod.

I'm not sure whether I'm managing to keep to my style from back then but let me know what you think.


	19. Whoa Factor

_I'm working on making the story what it was but i'd like you guys to let me know whether i am or not. I don't own Beyblade's characters_

**Whoa Factor**

Johnny woke up the next morning. He had turned the TV and put on a movie to try and get her mind off her problems. They must have fallen asleep. He tried to move but Tia was lying on his arm. Her hair smelt so rich and beautiful he couldn't help but nestle his face into it. His other arm automatically wrapped itself around her waist. He pulled her body closer to his, feeling her body warmth warm his body quickly. He quickly realised what he was doing and pulled his arm back, not wanting to upset Tia more than she was already. And after all, it was Tia!

'How could her father be so stupid? He knows what this girl has gone through and yet he still does that to her. Of course when I look at it from his side he probably hasn't found a descent woman since his wife was killed and is lonely. But he took responsibility of Tia. He should know better, he felt the pain Tia felt.'

He heard footsteps up the stairs and raised his head to see who would come through the door. Rosie opened it quietly and peered inside. Johnny motioned for her to be quiet. Rosie brought in a tray of breakfast for them.

"How is she?" she whispered putting the breakfast down on Johnny's desk. Johnny grimaced a bit.

"I wish I knew," he said moving her hair from her face. It was quite pudgy but she still made it look good.

"The poor girl, I wish Simon would wake up to himself," she said shaking her head. "Well, keep her up here and I'd best call the school and let them know what's happening."

"Thanks mum," Johnny said as she got up and left. Once she was out of the room Johnny looked back at Tia. Even in her sleep she looked disturbed. He liked looking at her skin though. It looked so flawless. All he wanted to do was touch it. He raised his hand and touched her cheek, it was silky smooth. But she began to stir so he decided he'd best rouse her so she could eat.

"Hey, Tia wake up," he said nudging her shoulder. She slowly opened her eyes then looked at him startled. She leapt up, but she slid off the bed and fell to the floor. Johnny quickly stood up to check on her.

"What the hell were you doing?" she demanded.

"Nothing, we must have fallen asleep last night and I woke up this morning when my mum came in with breakfast for us. Look nothing happened. We've both still got our clothes on." Tia looked at him sceptically and then saw the breakfast on the desk.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"It's okay, you kinda did trap me with your head on my arm though," he said stretching it finally. She smiled bashfully. He got up and handed her some breakfast. She accepted it graciously and looked at her watch. She jumped up.

"Johnny we're gonna be late to school!"

"Relax mum called school. Call Nanasi and we'll go and do your dress shopping." She looked sullen.

"I am not going shopping for a dress. Especially since I might not be here now," she said sullenly. Johnny looked at her harshly.

"Tia... if your dad does kick you out before the dance I refuse to let you leave until the year is out. You can stay here with us or at Nanasi's house. She's got plenty of room there," he said firmly. Tia was taken aback by the authoritive way he spoke to her. "Now eat your breakfast while I get changed and then call Nanasi." Tia sat at the desk in shock but began to eat her breakfast while Johnny grabbed his mobile and walked into his bathroom.

Tia sat and enjoyed the delicious food Rosie had made. Johnny's door opened and he walked in nothing but a towel with wet hair. His abs glistened with the water dripping from his hair. She looked away.

"What did Nanasi say?"she asked as he reached into his wardrobe and grabbed out his jeans.

"She's gonna meet us at the mall," he said looking at his shirts. He could sense that he was making her uncomfortable so he just had to have some fun. He grabbed a couple of shirts from the wardrobe. "Hey give me a hand here?"

She turned around nervously. "Yeah?"

"Which shirt do you think I should wear today?" he asked holding the different shirts up to his front. She went wide eyed and gulped.

"Um, the light blue polo I guess," she said and turned back to her breakfast. On his desk Johnny had a photo of the soccer team from last team. In the glass Tia saw his reflection as he changed. He was very well defined and his arms looked awesome in that shirt.

"Shit," Johnny said looking out the window to Tia's driveway.

"What," she asked getting up to look.

"Well I'm guessing you need a shower and a change of clothes but it looks like Simon stayed home today," Tia looked out the window. "What do you want do?"

"I'm not going around there," she replied coldly. Johnny could see her eyes starting to shine from angry tears.

"It's all good," he said leading her away from the window. "I'll go in and grab you a change of clothes and some extras." He grabbed a duffle bag.

"Are you sure?" she asked looking at him critically.

"Trust me, I have no problem handling ladies underwear?" he answered with a wink. Tia gasped and threw a pen she found on the desk at him.

"Well, don't forget my shampoo and school bag please. All my books are already in it," she replied. "I'll be out on the balcony if you need to know anything. But don't touch anything else!"

"I'll be quick." He hurried down the stairs and out the sliding back door. He looked up to see Tia walking onto his balcony. He continued through to Tia's house and opened the sliding door. Simon was nowhere to be seen. He walked up the stairs quietly and into her room. He shut the door behind him and then began rummaging through her draws for appropriate clothing to last her at least a week. He then went to her underwear draw, but for some reason he hesitated to open it. He usually would have no problems with this but because it was Tia he just didn't feel right.

"Johnny? What's taking so long?" he heard Tia hiss outside. He walked to the balcony.

"Um, how much underwear do you want?" he asked.

"Just grab a handful of both! Underwear and Bras! But hurry up, you're making me nervous!"

"What got something in here you don't want me to see?" he asked slyly before retreating back inside. He was just about to open her underwear draw when Tia's bedroom door was flung open.

"Oh Johnny, it's you," Simon said looking disappointed. "What are you doing in here anyway?"

"Well, if you really must know Tia's needs some stuff," he replied figuring the truth would be the best for the situation.

"Oh, well here," he said and started taking things out of draws and handing them to him including her underwear which Johnny was strangely grateful for. He also grabbed her toiletries, makeup, and her favourite pillow. "She can't sleep without this pillow, it's for her neck." Johnny nodded solemnly.

"Ok...well, I'd best be getting back," he said hesitantly as he began to move towards the door.

"Johnny..." Simon started. Johnny looked back slowly. "Tell her that if she needs anything else to call."

Johnny pretty much sprinted back to his house. Tia was sitting on his bed look at one of his Picture magazines.

"Do you mind?" he asked trying to snatch it away, but she was too quick.

"What? I'm reading the jokes," she replied looking at him smugly. "Or doesn't Rosie know you've got these?" He put her bags down and grabbed at it but she put it behind her so he couldn't reach.

"Oh like that is it?" He grabbed her and pushed her back onto the bed and she did her best to keep it away from him. He eventually reefed it from her hand, but he was now lying on top of her. They looked at each other for a moment before they heard footsteps coming up the stairs and Johnny quickly got off Tia.

"Johnny, Tia I'm going to work now. Johnny did you get Tia a towel so she can have a shower?" Rosie asked.

"I'll get one now mum," he said going slightly red.

"Don't worry Tia you can stay here as long as you want. We've got one spare room if you want to," Rosie said giving her a hug,

"Thanks Rosie," Tia said gratefully. As Johnny walked in Rosie gave him a kiss on the cheek as she left for work.

"So do you want to stay in the spare room?" he asked "It's always made up just in case." She nodded and he helped her take her stuff into the room and then showed her where the bathroom was. He went downstairs to wait for her.

They finally arrived at the Mall to find Nanasi waiting in Gloria Jeans for them.

"Tia, Johnny! Over here," she called. They ambled over. "Sorry about your dad Tia."

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied as they sat down.

"Good then we can talk about the dance!!" Nanasi said happily. Tia groaned making Johnny laugh. Nanasi looked at her strangely.

"Tia doesn't want to go," Johnny explained. "But I think she should, mainly cause I would just love to see you wearing a disgusting frilly pink dress!" Tia shot him a nasty look.

"And how would you be if I decided to wear a suit instead," she shot back.

"Oh the teacher look, that's a real guy's fantasy," he answered thinking. Tia laughed as did Nanasi.

"Well come on. We haven't got all day," Nanasi ordered grabbing Tia's arm and dragging her up. Johnny laughed and followed.

Nanasi dragged Tia into many stores, and all Tia made sure she gave the sales assistants the hardest time possible which wasn't easy with Johnny there. He was making sure every time Tia turned her nose up at something that there was something to take its place. Most of the dresses she refused to try on. Nanasi however wanted to try everything on and was having a great old time which thoroughly amused Tia and Johnny.

"What are you wearing Johnny?" Nanasi asked as she purchased a dress from the sales assistant.

"Dunno yet, I'm thinking a tux of some sort," he replied. "Suppose I'd better start trying some on."

"Uh oh, sorry guys but I've got to go?" Nanasi said looking at her watch. "But Johnny you better make sure she buys a dress." Johnny looked at Tia and nodded slyly. "Bye guys"

"You are so not getting me to buy a dress," she said to Johnny.

"We'll see," he said knowingly. They left and went into another store next door. Tia pulled Johnny behind a rack of clothes. "What are you doing?" he demanded. She covered his mouth with her hand and pointed to a small area to the side of the shop where there was a collection of wedding dresses. They could clearly see Celia trying on dresses.

"Oh he hasn't asked yet, but I know he will. I mean his sending his delinquent daughter away just because I told him to so all I've got to do is put the thought into his head and I know he will," she told the sales assistant haughtily. Johnny looked sideways and Tia and thought it best to drag her away before she did something she might regret.

Once they were outside Tia exploded.

"That woman is only after his money and a chance to get away from this town! How dare she use dad like this!!"

"Tia calm down!" Johnny said grabbing her hands and making her sit down.

"Johnny, come on. We're going to find me a dress cause any excuse to stay and stop her I am going to take!" She dragged him into another shop down the opposite end of the mall.

"Tia, do you even know what you want?" he asked after she'd stopped inside the store. She went slightly red.

"Is it that obvious that i have no idea?" she asked. Johnny almost hit the floor.

"I'll go and get some help," Johnny said.

"No need sir, I overheard you and came to help straight away. This way please," a sales assistant said appearing from nowhere. He led Tia and Johnny over to a quiet section of the store and started pulling out dresses. Tia looked at them with a lost expression on her face.

"Dude, there is no way she is ever going to wear any of those!" Johnny said looking at Tia's face. She looked at Johnny gratefully.

"Well I'm doing the best I can sir!" the sales assistant replied.

"Look, she's got tanned skin so a light shade would be good; she's got broad shoulders so she needs spaghetti straps and she's tall so something to show off a little leg!" Johnny said getting up and going through the racks of dresses. He pulled out several dresses and handed them to Tia. She thought it best to just try them on. 'He does spend most of his days looking at girls after all.'

Tia had tried on 6 dresses that Johnny had chosen for her but she hadn't really liked any of them.

"You've got one dress to try on, while you do that I'm going to go and get a tux," he said handing her the dress and shoes.

When he came back she still hadn't finish changing.

"Come on! I've got my tux and shoes already!" he said leaning on a clothes rack.

"Oh shut up!" she said. He turned around to check out some juniors trying on dresses who were checking him out. "Well what do you think?" He turned around in surprise.

"Whoa..." he trailed off. She had on a white dress which was a combination of a cocktail dress and a gown. It had two ribbons that were strung from one side as straps with a flower at the base of them. The bottom of the dress was a soft, flowy, clear material that had a split that reached up to her knee. At mid thigh the dress became a solid material again and hugged close to her body.

"That bad huh?" she asked folding her arms across her chest.

"No! No, that looks...great," he managed to say.

"Madam!" the sales assistant exclaimed walking over and making Tia jump. "You look magnificent!" Tia went red slightly.

"Um... thanks. I'll take it thanks very much," she said retreating back to the change rooms. Johnny pulled the sales assistant aside.

"Show me where your jewellery is," he said quietly.


	20. Dance Anyone?

_I've come back upon receiving 2 new reviews after so many years! I apologise though as I think this chapter is a little boring but hey you got to have a few boring bits to link the exciting ones right?_

**Dance Anyone?**

They walked out of the store with bags in hand and looked around the mall.

"What now?" Tia asked him expectantly. Johnny looked at his watch; it was only 12:30.

"Lunch?" he answered thoughtfully. "I'm starving."

"I didn't know males were ever not hungry," Tia teased earning a bump from him. "Well where are we gonna go?" she asked.

"How do you feel about pizza or Chinese?" he suggested as they walked down the mall slowly, earning looks from fellow shoppers, although neither noticed.

"Hmm...I haven't had Chinese cooked by someone else in while," she answered brightly. Johnny nodded and they walked out to the green machine, putting their bags into the boot.

"Get in," Johnny said nodding to the passenger side.

"We're not staying here?" she asked in surprise opening the door.

"Nope, I know a place where the food is the best you'll ever have," he answered starting up her car. Tia looked sceptical but said nothing.

He soon pulled into the car park of a busy business centre. Tia looked around down from the top of the car park, the sides of the roads were brimming full of Asian grocers. Tia smelt the air, it smelt of fish, meat and car fumes.

"Where are we?" she asked as Johnny stopped alongside her.

"It's pretty much the Chinatown of Hienmar, but that's not the most accurate name for it since it's a combination of all the Asian nations," he said thoughtfully. Tia laughed at his logic, earning a shove down towards the walkway.

He led her through the busy walkways and side streets. They were so packed out she would get dragged away from Johnny.

"Come on Tia," Johnny called with a laugh as she struggled through the crowded alley they were walking through.

"I'm trying, people don't just move for me like they do for you!" she said struggling through to him finally. Johnny laughed again, earning a sulky look from Tia.

"Come on, ya sook," he said grabbing her wrist. She reefed it back in surprise, looking up at Johnny angrily. "Well if you want to get through the crowd without getting shoved around, how else are you going to do it?" She looked at him, slightly taken aback, but then begrudgingly held out her arm. Johnny laughed at the defeated look on her face then grabbed her wrist again and led her through the busy crowds.

"Where is this place anyway Johnny?" she asked as he weaved in and out of people.

"Right up there," he said pointing to a large building of about 2 storeys.

"Oh my god! Yum Cha? I love Yum Cha!" she exclaimed happily. He let go of her wrist as they now had to only walk across a quiet car park.

"Well, at least you have good taste in something," Johnny answered leading the way to the front door. He pulled open the door, standing back so Tia could go in first. Tia couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Hello Johnny!" came an elderly female voice. A small Japanese woman appeared from behind the counter.

"Hello Mrs Hiwitari!" Johnny said bending down to give her a hug. "It's been awhile!"

"Yes Johnny, you and Kai have not been to visit for lunch together in a long time! Is everything alright?" she asked, a note of concern in her voice. Tia couldn't take her eyes off the woman. She was either Kai's mother or grandmother.

"Oh yes, we're fine, it's just this is our senior year and we're all very busy," Johnny replied shrugging then smiling brightly. "I figured it had been a while since I visited so I had better or you would come hunting me down with your chef's knife!"

"Oh Johnny, you are so silly!" she said patting his shoulder motherly. She then looked at Tia critically. "And who is this beautiful girl you are with? Always new girls Johnny!" Tia's cheeks went a slight shade of pink Johnny noticed.

"Oh how rude of me; this is a team mate from soccer. Her name is Tia; she plays with Kai and I. She loves Yum Cha, so I thought I'd better show her the best Yum cha in town," Johnny said pulling Tia forward slightly.

"Uh, hello, it's nice to meet you," Tia said politely, yet nervously.

"Tia, this is Kai's grandmother," Johnny explained. "She owns this restaurant and was trained by the finest chefs in China."

"I look forward to trying your fine cooking then Mrs Hiwitari!" Tia said in awe.

"Oh, I like this one Johnny, she's much nicer than the rest, and definitely not as clinging," Mrs Hiwitari said nudging him.

"Oh no, we're not together Mrs Hiwitari," Tia replied hastily. "We're just friends, sort of, I guess." She looked at Johnny for help.

"Haha, yeah, we're just friends Mrs Hiwitari, nothing going on there, I prefer them a little clingier anyway," he said jokingly as he ushered Tia into the dining room. "Here, we'll sit over here." They sat down and Tia took a look around. The dining room was pretty much empty except for a couple of small families at the back of the room.

"This place is so nice," Tia said looking around. They were just a few metres from the kitchen doors. Tia could smell the delicious odour coming from the kitchens. Suddenly a trolley pushed through one of the doors and was brought to their table. The waiter picked up some small dishes and steaming baskets and placed them on their table.

"Kai's grandmother always instructs her waiters to never ask what we want, she always expects us to eat whatever we're given. It's really good though, so we never complain," Johnny explained picking up his chopsticks.

"So everything is traditional at least," Tia asked taking it all in as another trolley appeared and some more baskets were placed on their table.

"Yeah, best in Hienmar," Johnny said taking a mouthful. They tucked in, Tia absolutely enjoying every mouthful of the fine Chinese food.

Tia and Johnny thanked Mrs Hiwitari for the fine food, before walking back out into the car park. It was early in the afternoon, and the streets were still busy as they walked back through the streets towards the multi storey car park.

"Kai's grandmother is a lot nicer than he is," Tia said as Johnny dragged her through the throngs of people.

"Ah Kai's not that bad when he isn't trying to nail girls," Johnny replied offhand. They climbed the stairs to the top floor of the shopping centre adjacent to the car park.

"Gees, I didn't realise he ever actually stopped," Tia joked. They exited the shopping centre and Johnny let Tia go so she could walk alongside him. Johnny gave a half hearted laugh.

"I'm really sorry about what Kai tried to do to you that night at the pub," he said quietly. Tia shuddered and said nothing. "I assure you he won't ever do anything like that again."

"It's fine, I'm sure he learnt his lesson," she answered curtly. Johnny thought it better if he just left it at that.

"So we going home now?" Johnny asked her. "Or do you want to do anything else?"

"Um..." she looked at her watch, her face was undeniably concerned. "I don't know."

"We should go home, you can rest and settle into your room, or we could have a game on the Xbox or something?" Tia looked thoughtful at Johnny's suggestions.

"Yeah, ok," she said finally as they arrived at the green machine.

When they eventually returned home, Celia's car was parked out the front of Tia's house. Johnny heard Tia make a faint whine, but pretended he heard nothing. They got out of the car and went inside, Rosie wasn't home yet.

"You want a drink?" Johnny asked dumping his bags on the floor and going to the fridge. "We got coke, water, bourbon, wine..." he winked. Tia shook her head and went to pick up his shopping bag.

"No thanks and you shouldn't leave stuff lying around. You're mum isn't your slave you know," she lectured. Johnny dove across and picked it up before she could grab it.

"Oh yeah right, thanks," he said and began rushing up the stairs. Tia ran after him.

"What's wrong Johnny; don't you want to show me your pretty tux? What's wrong with it?" she was catching him as he opened the room to his door. He slammed the door before she could get in though, and through his bag into his closet. She burst through the door.

"What are you hiding Johnny McGregor?" she asked suspiciously.

"Just a little something for whatever girl I end up taking to the dance, I wouldn't want you running around telling all the girls or every ugly heifer will come looking for me," he answered coyly. Tia looked astonished before shaking her head and going to her own room with her shopping. Johnny made sure she was gone before he opened his closet and removed an item wrapped in delicate white tissue paper. He placed it inside his desk carefully before hanging up his tuxedo. He then decided to go and check on Tia.

"How's it going?" he asked as he opened her door, making her jump.

"Jesus Johnny, I know I'm staying in your house now, but you never know when I could be naked," Tia said settling back into what she was doing. She was putting her dress back into a dress bag.

"Did you think maybe that was what I was aiming at?" he joked. Tia shot him a look that made him laugh. "So you really like that dress huh? Have to ask, have you ever worn a dress?" Tia laughed then.

"Um...not that I can remember honestly. But yes, it's very beautiful and elegant, unlike what most of the girls are going to wear from our school I daresay," she answered zipping it up.

"The good thing about that store is they only ever stock one of each dress," he explained as she put it inside the cupboard.

"I'm guessing that's a big deal for the girls here?" she asked in a flat tone, showing it didn't really bother her.

"Ah, forgot who I was talking to for a minute there. So now you have the dress, you're gonna have to find a date too now."

"Well, no I don't," she replied looking at him critically. "I can still go stag if I want, there's no rule to say I can't."

"Well yeah, but you're nominated for Prom Queen. You should really have an escort into the dance."

"Shoulda, coulda, woulda...doesn't mean much to me," she answered matter of factly. Johnny frowned.

"Okay, but I daresay you'll regret that decision," he retorted and turned to go.

"Well, Mr big shot, who have you got your eyes set on then?" she asked inquisitively.

"Never you mind," he answered sulkily and disappeared into his room.

The next day at school, Tia was sitting in the senior study with Nanasi. They were working on their joint art project ideas as well as Nanasi trying to fit in conversation about her campaign which Tia wanted nothing to do with.

"But Tia, you need to do something, otherwise how will you win?"

"Nanasi...I don't care if I win or lose, the only reason I'm going is it gives me a good excuse to hang around until the year is out so I can sabotage Smeelia, or at least try and get Simon to see she's only using him. If you want to plan something, come up with something about that!" Nanasi looked disappointed but then perked up again.

"You need to get a recording of her! Yeah and somehow get it to play in front of Simon," Nanasi said inspiringly. Tia looked at her.

"Maybe, we'll work on that idea later," she said as Johnny came into the room.

"Well?" Johnny asked as he sat on the opposite lounge to them. "How many?"

"What's it to you?" Tia sneered.

"6" Nanasi said excitedly. Tia jabbed her in the ribs. "What? Someone has to be excited for you!" Tia gave her a look of contempt before looking at Johnny.

"And you? Have you been asked by the girl you deem the best yet?" she asked fluttering her eyelashes about pretending to be sweet and girly.

"Ha...well of the 9 girls that asked...some were pretty good...but no, haven't made a girls dream come true yet," Johnny replied. Nanasi laughed as she was slurping her strawberry milk, snorting it all over herself. Tia scoffed and shook her head.

Eddy ambled in from his last class.

"Hi Cuz! You made a boy happy yet?" he asked before plonking next to Johnny.

"No, and can everyone please stop asking. I am not going to go to the dance with anyone," she answered loudly so everyone could here. There were a few murmurs and a giggle. She looked at Johnny and raised her eyebrows purposely.

"Don't you raise your eyebrows at me. You will be going to that dance with someone," he pressured.

"Not one," she answered firmly.

"Are you chicken?" Johnny asked, Eddy nudged him trying to discourage him.

"Chicken? Johnny we're seniors, not in kindy, Cooties don't really exist," she answered snidely.

"Well if you're not, then I bet you have no qualms about saying yes to the next person that asks you," he queried. Tia looked at him critically. "Well?" Nanasi and Eddy looked on nervously; Tia could tell the whole room was listening.

"Fine then, the next person that asks me, that HASN'T asked me already, I will go with," she answered resolutely. There was a cheer from Nanasi and a groan from Eddy.

"Well then, in that case-" Johnny began but Robert walked into the study and straight to Tia.

"Hi Tia, could I have a word with you for a moment? It's about Modern History. Mr Wallace wanted me to give you some extra work," he explained politely. Tia looked from Johnny to Robert pleasantly.

"Sure Robert," she answered pleasantly and followed him to one of the spare rooms within the senior study. Johnny ground his teeth slightly at the interruption, making Nanasi look at him suspiciously.

"Johnny," Nanasi began catching his attention. "Were you just going to do what I think you were going to do?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Johnny retorted savagely. He watched as Tia looked at Robert in surprise. She then looked back out at him, making him look away quickly. He watched in the corner of his eye as she looked back at him, smiled and nodded while saying something.

Robert looked overjoyed at whatever she had said. She smiled again and walked back out to Nanasi who had her head down working on their project. She plonked down next to her, putting some paperwork into her folder.

"What extra work has Mr Wallace given you?" Nanasi asked in interest not looking up from the text book.

"Huh? Oh," Tia said not quite understanding what she was talking about. "It's just an essay on Germany's civilian views on the wars, nothing too serious or hard." Nanasi looked up at her from the text book, her eyes blazed with curiosity.

"Tia, why do you look like your hiding something?" Nanasi queried.

"What? I'm not hiding anything. You asked me a question and I answered it," she answered, quite truthfully too. Nanasi looked from Tia to Robert who was sitting at another set of lounges. He seemed to be beaming.

"Tia...did Robert-?" Nanasi trailed off looking back at Tia. Nanasi looked back Tia who tried to feign innocence of some sort. "Oh my god!" Johnny and Eddy stared at Nanasi's outburst.

"Nanasi, what's wrong?" Eddy asked. Johnny looked from Tia to Robert in shock.

"Tia is going to the dance with Robert! She finally said yes to someone!" Nanasi hissed quietly to Eddy. Eddy too looked over at Robert then high fived Tia.

"Finally!" he added, earning him a quick glare from Tia.

"Well this is going to be a fun night after all," Nanasi said rubbing her hands together. "And you are not gonna stop me from working on a campaign for you either."

"I'll tell you what, if you can make sure it has nothing to do with me doing anything, I'm more than happy to. However, if I find your being overly pushy to people I will step in Nanasi." Nanasi nodded hastily, but a large smirk appeared soon after and she packed up her things and disappeared out the door.

"Where's she going?" Johnny sneered. Tia sighed.

"Most likely to start harassing the masses, will probably stop along the way to recruit Tiana and Demi for her cause." Eddy chuckled.

"I'm going to get lunch, you want me to grab you something?" Eddy asked getting up and stretching.

"Please and thank you," Tia answered. Johnny didn't respond, but instead concentrated on his mobile. Eddy looked at him critically but shrugged and disappeared out the doors.


	21. Defence

_I'm back again, i hope you guys will still review me, I'm probably a little rusty from my years spent away from writing. But please! Let me know what you think...i only own the characters you are unfamiliar with, all rights apart from those are owned by Beyblades etc_

**Defence**

Johnny waited by the green machine for Tia after school. He ignored everyone until he saw her walking around the school hall, approaching the car park. Robert was walking with her. She didn't seem unhappy to be talking to him, but she wasn't exactly having a good time. She saw Johnny waiting by the car and said goodbye to Robert.

"Where have you been?" Johnny asked crudely.

"What's it to you?" she asked in surprise at his tone. "If you must know I didn't hear the bell in the library. If it weren't for Robert you would still be waiting." She unlocked the car and they both got in.

"Book worm," Johnny snickered. Tia through her bag on his lap making him grunt. He smirked at her before throwing it into the back seat. "Oh yeah, no training tonight, the field is saturated after all the rain we've had." Tia reversed the car into the rain as he finished his sentence.

"Coach doesn't even want us to have indoor training?" she asked in surprise.

"Nah, the football federation has already said all games this weekend will be off because most fields are flooded. Better watch our street; it will most likely be the same when we get home."

Tia slowed as they approached their street. Johnny was right; the whole street had about 10cm deep of water throughout it.

"Oh my god," Tia said as she idled the car through the street, staying in the middle where the water was the shallowest. "Does this happen often?"

"Only when we get none stop rain for more than a couple of days, it can be fun though." He looked sideways at her with a grin on his face.

"Whatever you're up...don't even think of putting it into action," she said waving a finger as they neared their driveway. She slowly pulled into the driveway, gunning it once she was clear of the water. "My poor baby!"

"Forget about the baby, we have to try and get to the front door. Ha! And you're wearing a white top!" Johnny said laughing before opening the door and running to the verandah. Tia sighed, looked back at her bag then thought better of it. She opened her door and got out, slamming it shut behind her as she made a sprint for the verandah as well. Johnny was laughing hysterically...with a video camera in his hand!

"Johnny!" she said jumping straight onto the verandah and avoiding all the stairs. She slipped, the floor boards were all wet, and she began to fall. She stuck out her arm and grabbed at Johnny's shirt.

"Shit!" Johnny said as she continued to fall, dragging him down with her. They fell in a heap on the floor.

"Owwww," Tia moaned rubbing the back of her head.

"Thank god you didn't break the camera," Johnny said closing in on her face with it.

"If you don't get it out of my face I will," she retorted making a swipe for it, but Johnny was quicker. "Get your legs off of me."

"Johnny looked down to see his legs were indeed on top of her waist from how he'd fallen and sat up. He also noticed her shirt had indeed gone see through, she was drenched. Bits of her hair clung to her face and neck. Johnny smirked and sat on top of her, straddling her hips while filming her top as she struggled to get him off.

"Johnny! What the fuck dude! Get off of me!" she said trying to push him off. "I will break that camera!"

"Aw, you don't wanna do that! It's Bryan's, he asked me to help him take footage for the year video," Johnny answered switching it off as Tia took a wild swipe at it with her hand. Johnny laughed in amusement until Tia thrust her hips up, throwing him off balance. He fell forward, both hands landing on either side of Tia's head. She winced as one landed on her hair, pulling on her scalp.

"Jesus Tia," he said taking his hand off her hair so she could pull it back away from his hand.

"Well get off!" she retorted, suddenly knocking one arm out from beneath him, twisting her right leg around his and flipping him over so he was now on his back and she was on top. She smirked before taking the video camera that he had dropped and recording.

"So, how many girls have had you flat on your back against your will?" Tia asked, Johnny struggled to move as Tia had his armed pinned down under her legs as well.

"First of all, who said it was against my will?" Johnny answered cheekily. Tia shot off his lap and fell flat onto her backside, causing Johnny to laugh uncontrollably. Tia wrinkled her nose in annoyance, and got up, strolling inside.

"Tia, my, you're all wet!" Rosie exclaimed as Tia walked in and put the video camera down. Tia groaned.

"I know, it's ridiculous out there," she replied heading for the stairs to her room to change.

"Would you like a hot chocolate to warm you up once you're changed?" she asked turning on the kettle.

"Oh, that would be great," she answered brightly, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. At that moment Johnny came rushing in, grabbing the video camera from her hand as he flew by. "HEY!"

"Hi mum, bye mum!" Johnny called as he disappeared up the stairs. Tia ran after him, catching him as he opened his door. She tackled him into his bedroom; both of them rolling onto the floor in a heap, Johnny managed to drop the camera onto his bed before he hit the floor.

"Pay back's a bitch hey," Tia said panting, as she smacked him in the gut with the back of her hand.

"Yeah, well, just you remember that hey," he replied pinching her arm. She gave a shout and sat up looking at her arm. There was a red mark from where he got her. She narrowed her eyes at him then took her saturated singlet off. Johnny's eyes went wide. Suddenly she was twisting it tightly with her hands.

"Wake up Johnny," Tia sneered as she whipped it at his legs. There was a loud 'thwack' as she made a perfect 'crack' and Johnny gave a shout of pain.

"Tia!" he shouted as she ran out of the room, laughing hysterically. Johnny looked down at his shin where she'd gotten him. A nice big red welt was appearing slowly. "I got to admit, she's good," Johnny murmured to himself.

Johnny showered and went downstairs to join Tia and his mother.

"You don't need to worry about her, I have banned her from setting foot in my house," Rosie said soothingly to Tia, who was looking a little glum.

"We talking about Celia?" Johnny asked grabbing himself a drink. Rosie nodded while Tia slumped with her arm supporting her head. "Don't worry about her Tia. I'm sure she wouldn't be game to set foot in this house or anywhere else we go. She's made some enemies for herself in this town."

"Well aren't you just the sweetest?" Tia said sarcastically. Then she gave a cheeky smile. "You're just trying to make me feel guilty for that welt on your shin aren't you?" Johnny gave a slight growl and pegged his bottle cap at her.

"Come on now you two, anyone would think you were a married couple," Rosie joked.

"Ewwww!" Johnny and Tia exclaimed in unison.

Johnny and Tia sat eating dinner at the breakfast counter. Rosie was at her book club.

"So, I hear you got asked by Robert," Johnny said finishing his off.

"Did you now?" Tia answered picking her plate up and taking it to the sink.

"So, I'm guessing you had to say yes because of our little deal?" he asked smirking.

"I guess I did," she sighed. Johnny looked at her curiously.

"Why the sigh?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, cause now I have to go with Robert, I mean Robert is really nice and all. But now everyone is gonna be watching us like we're an actual couple, this is why I didn't want to have a date."

"Oh come on, look on the bright side, you two might end up a couple," he said, but had a strange feeling of disappointment when he said 'couple'.

"Ha, yeah well. I guess you could be right, I'm pretty certain you're wrong again though," she answered as he got up and put his plate in the sink. Tia leant against a counter drinking a glass of water.

"Really? Me? Wrong?" he asked sarcastically, noticing the wet dish cloth hanging over the tap as he rinsed his plate. He grabbed it quickly and whipped around, catching Tia on the arm with a loud 'thwack'

"Ow! You bastard!" she shouted and threw her water at him, it splashed into his face, making his hair sag. He couldn't stop laughing. Tia inspected her arm where he'd gotten her. Sure enough a large red welt was slowly appearing.

"Hehe, told you to listen to your own advice didn't I?" he said snidely strolling past her. She couldn't help but smile behind his back. He got her good; she had to admit it...obviously only to herself and never to him though.

"Well, just remember it," she shouted back as he entered the lounge room.

Johnny sat playing his Xbox, while Tia sat on another lounge reading a book and listening to her IPod. It irked him that she was sitting there with her music up loud. Especially when all he wanted to do was give her shit. He decided to turn up the TV. She didn't seem phased at all. He grinded his teeth with displeasure. Suddenly Tia gave a small jump. She moved around in her seat then pulled out her mobile.

"Nanasi said you're grandfather is on his way here," Tia said getting out of her seat.

"What?" Johnny exclaimed in shock. Tia picked up her things and went to go upstairs. "What do you mean he's on his way?"

"I don't know? Nanasi just said 'Johnny's grandfather is on his way over, get out or hide!' That's all she's said." Johnny grimaced, but hurried Tia up the stairs.

"Maybe if we both hide we'll be ok," Johnny said quietly.

"Johnny...my car is out front," she replied. Johnny groaned.

"You know what, stuff it, you're coming back downstairs," he said and went to grab her arm.

"Oh hell no I'm not. I've heard about your grandfather enough from you and Nanasi to know I don't want to know him," she hissed. "I'll hide up here thanks. But you'd better call your mum."

Johnny raced back downstairs and dialled his mother's mobile number. She answered straight away.

"I'm on my way Johnny. Nanasi texted me too. You and Tia get upstairs and lock the front door. Stay with Tia at all times unless I tell you it's safe to come out," she ordered and hung up. Johnny sprinted back upstairs to Tia's room.

"You have two options, you're room or mine," he demanded. Tia looked at him strangely. He shook his head and grabbed her, dragging her to his room and shutting it hurriedly, locking the door.

"Why are we in your room? I thought you were going downstairs to try and keep him away from up here?"

"Mum's orders, the way she's talking it sounds like something's up," he answered shutting his curtains. Tia looked at him in concern. Johnny noticed and walked over to her, grabbing her shoulders. "Don't worry, I- We won't let anything happen to you."

"Well what are we supposed to do until we can get out of here, as much as I love the Picture magazine jokes, I don't think they are gonna cut it," she said in a bored tone as she dropped onto his bed.

"You could always look at the pictures," he answered slyly. Tia kicked out at his shins which he dodged easily. Tia yawned. "I'll turn the TV on."

"Um duh...my name is Johnny. Dumb ass, he'll hear it," she hissed. Johnny gave himself a mental slap, but glared at Tia's remark.

"Well stop whinging about being bored then. Just be happy I'm keeping you safe," he sneered lying back in his bed. Tia rolled her eyes. "What was that for?"

"Cause I can," she answered doing it again.

"Do it again, and it's on," he warned. She wrinkled her nose and did it again. "I'm warning you." She smirked, before doing it again. "That's it!" he said and grabbed her, pulling her down onto the bed with him and squeezing tight.

"Ow! Johnny! Argh! Take this!" she said managed to get her arms to his waist and began tickling. Johnny began to squirm. "Oh what's this? Ticklish are we?" She continued on until his grip on her was loose enough she could wiggle her way out. But Johnny wasn't done with her yet. Before she could jump up off the bed he'd grabbed her by her shoulders and had her back on the bed, and was leaning over her, tickling every spot he could find available.

"What was it you always say? Payback's a bitch? Isn't it just?" he laughed as she squirmed under his assault. Suddenly Johnny stopped and held Tia down hard.

"Johnny? What's the big idea?" Tia said struggling as he had her arms pinned down.

"Shh! Tia! I heard a car door shut," he whispered. He and Tia froze and dared not to move. Johnny noticed Tia's heart rate was racing. He could feel it through her body, as he was lying on top of her.

"Do you think it's him or your mum?" Tia barely whispered.

"I don't know, but it's probably better if we just stay here," he whispered back. Tia grimaced slightly but said nothing as they both carefully listened for noises outside. Footsteps could be heard on the verandah. It sounded like someone was walking from one side to the other, inspecting the windows, or peering inside to see who was there.

"Um...Johnny? Did you turn off the Xbox?" Tia asked from underneath him. Johnny looked down at her, trying to remember.

"Oh shit."

Johnny felt uncomfortable on Tia; this was the longest they had been with body to body contact ever. He wished he could stop thinking about it or it was gonna get very uncomfortable very quickly! Suddenly there was a screech of tires and a siren approaching shortly after. They could hear Rosie shouting loudly. Tia shoved Johnny off of her and ran to the window for a look. The siren was still a long way off.

"Get away from my house! He may be your grandson but he does not want to see you!" Rosie shouted angrily approaching him.

"Shut up, you vile woman, I will be taking my grandson now and raising him as he should be!" Mr McCloud said as she neared him. Tia saw him raise his hand to her.

"Johnny! Rosie-!" before Johnny knew what was happening Tia was out the door. Johnny followed quickly, fearing the worst. Johnny was catching Tia until she reached the door and reefed it open. He followed, saw her jump from the verandah and run straight at his grandfather. Just as he looked up Tia hurtled Rosie and tackled him into the ground. Johnny ran to Rosie.

"Forget me, get her now!" Rosie exclaimed, struggling off the ground. Johnny hurried to Tia who was wrestling with his grandfather. His grandfather tried to punch Tia but she blocked it and managed to get an elbow into his rib cage. Johnny reefed his grandfather from her and threw him onto the ground. Tia struggled to her feet. There was a red mark appearing on her cheek where he must have got a hit in.

The police car screeched to a halt out the front of the house as Mr McCloud scrambled to his feet. He went to grab Johnny but the police grabbed him before he could.

"Mr McCloud," one said dragging him back to the car. "You're under arrest for breaching the AVO against you by Mrs McGregor."

Johnny turned to Tia, and checked her over as Rosie walked over. Tia had scratches along her right arm, a graze on her left knee as well as the red mark on her cheek and a little blood from her mouth.

"Tia! That was a very silly thing to do," Rosie said fussing over her. "Take her inside Johnny, before Simon or worse, Celia sees her." Johnny did as he was told. Once he was out of earshot of his mother who was talking to the policemen he turned to Tia.

"Thank you, but she's right, he could have done you some serious damage," Johnny whispered as he led her up the stairs and into the kitchen where he made her sit down and got an ice pack for her cheek. He began cleaning her cuts and grazes.

"Well, I might get some cool war wounds," Tia joked. Johnny pushed on a cut firmly proving a point making Tia wince. "Ok ok, I get the point. I'm stupid."

"Is that all I need to do to get you to realise it?" he asked slyly. Tia jerked her leg and kicked Johnny in the shin making him hop around then retreated to her room.

The next day at school Johnny and Tia didn't get a chance to talk much. The school was full of rumour about Tia and Robert. When Tia did try and talk with Johnny he was constantly grumpy about something. Tia soon gave up and sat with Nanasi in one of the spare rooms in the senior study for lunch. Robert, Eddy and Demi soon joined them.

"Good afternoon Tia," Robert said politely entering the room after Eddy. He leant down to give Tia a kiss on the cheek, making her go slightly pink. Nanasi looked ready to explode with giggles as Robert sat on the lounge beside her. He was very careful not to touch her though, to her relief.

"Hi Robert," Nanasi said with a big grin. Tia kept her head down, concentrating on her salad.

"So what's happening girls?" Eddy asked trying to turn the conversation elsewhere.

"Not much, we're thinking of things to do for Tia's campaign," Nanasi explained brightly, motioning towards the brightly coloured posters.

"I don't like pink," Tia said in distaste looking at one of the posters in particular. Nanasi and Demi looked at each other.

"Uh ok, no pink," Demi said picking it up and throwing it into the bin. "Do you have any pictures we can use for your posters?"

"No," Tia said straight away without a second thought.

"What about these ones?" Nanasi asked turning her laptop so Tia could see. On the screen were several photos of Tia, some she was wearing bikinis, others she was wearing short or long dresses. All the photos were professionally done and made Tia grimace.

"Oh yes, those ones," she groaned.

"You didn't really think you could hide them forever did you cuz? I would have given you up in an instance if they'd asked me," Eddy said with laugh.

"Well it was worth trying," Tia said shrugging.

"What are they from?" Robert asked with keen interest. Tia jumped, having forgotten he was there for a moment.

"Uh, just a couple of portfolio shots for a photographer friend," she answered bashfully.

"Well they are perfect!" Nanasi said excitedly.

"Do NOT add the ones where I'm in a bikini, the campaign should at least be tasteful," Tia warned. Both girls nodded hastily, not wanting Tia to disallow them from campaigning for her.

"Well, okay, but keep the source of the photos to yourself, I don't want them appearing all over the school. I might contact the photographer and ask him to take them down for a few weeks," Tia said thoughtfully.

"They're nothing to be ashamed of Tia, I think they're quite tasteful," Robert said pleasantly. Nanasi and Demi tried not to sigh or giggle. But Tia could see it on their faces.

"Thank you Robert, but it's still not very appropriate for someone in high school in my opinion." Robert nodded in understanding as the bell went. Tia looked at her watch. She had no more classes for the day. "I'll speak to you guys later; it's time for me to head home."

"You're not waiting for Johnny today?" Eddy asked in surprised, looking straight at Robert to see if it got a response.

"No, I fixed his bike for him, so he's finally riding it back to school now," she answered picking up her bag. Robert seemed somewhat frozen in his place. "See you tomorrow Robert." He seemed to wake from his trance

"Oh yes, I'll see you tomorrow," he said standing up.

Tia walked into the house. Rosie was nowhere to be seen, so Tia grabbed a can of soft drink and went to her room. When she arrived there was a bunch of flowers on the chest of draws with a note next to it. There was also a card attached to the flowers. Tia looked from the note to the card, and chose to open the note first.

_Dear Tia,_

_These came for you today. I asked Rosie to pass them along for you. Seems you're leaving quite an impression at school. Hope you're doing well._

_Love Simon._

Tia growled slightly, and then groaned when she looked at the flowers. They were a mixture of different flowers, all bright in colour. There were a few pink ones in there, but Tia overlooked it, she knew who they were from. Sure enough when she looked at the card she was right. It was from Robert.

_**Dear Tia,**_

_**I heard about what happened at home, just a little something to brighten your day. I cannot express how pleased I am that you said yes to my proposal of being my date to the Prom.**_

Tia groaned slightly as she put the card down. Rosie had already put the flowers in a vase. Tia thought carefully then took the flowers downstairs and put them on the bench, hoping Johnny wouldn't know they were hers. She sprinted back upstairs and began her homework with her IPod turned up all the way.

She was flying through her Modern History essay when someone grabbed her shoulders from behind.

"Haahahaha," Johnny laughed loudly as she jumped up from her chair, knocking her homework to the floor.

"Johnny, grow up," Tia said angrily picking up the pages of her essay. She shot him a dirty look as he lay on her bed. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all, who sent you the flowers? Robert?" Johnny asked lying on his side, propping his head up with his hand, flexing his bicep as he did so. It caught Tia's eye but she looked away quickly.

"None of your business," she answered and put the paperwork back on her table. "If you don't mind I have homework to do, I'm sure you've probably got some to do as well. So why don't you go and what little brain cells you've got left and go and do it?" She put her paperwork into its folder and went to put it in her cupboard.

"I thought we could talk, you know, about stuff?" he said smirking as she went to put it in her bag, bending down beside it.

"What stuff?" she sighed as she stood up, taking her hair out of its ponytail and brushing it. Johnny watched her as she brushed long strokes through her hair. It shone in the slight light in the room.

"Well, like what kind of guys do you like? Guys like Robert?" he asked in interest. Tia looked at him dully.

"Why would I want to talk about that, I don't even talk to Nanasi about that," she sneered and turned back to the mirror.

"Aw, come on, I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," he begged slyly. Tia looked at him via the mirror.

"Why on earth would I need to know yours, considering it wouldn't surprise me if your 'type' was any girl who was willing to wear a short skirt and bend over in front of you?" she asked raising her eyebrows. Johnny smirked.

"Well you know about me, time to return the favour?"

"Get out you tool," she said shaking her head.

"Aw, come on! If we're gonna live under the same roof, we should make some effort every now and then?"

Tia turned and looked at him critically. Johnny looked straight back at her, straight faced.

"Fine, you get the popcorn, I'll go for a drive and get the bourbon, daresay this could be a barrel of laughs," she answered making Johnny laugh.

Tia and Johnny sat on Johnny's balcony, eating the popcorn and having a couple of bourbons while they waited for some chicken Tia had put on to cook. Rosie must have been working late as she was not yet home.

"So, come on, you're going first since you seem to think you know what I'm after, you can tell me what you're after," he said snidely pegging popcorn at her.

"Hey, I was just saying what I was seeing," Tia retorted catching it and pegging it back at him. "Okay, so I guess for me as long as he knows what I like and we have some kind of connection is good. I mean it's even better if he is athletic, has great arms, abs and a nice smile. They aren't essential but I wouldn't mind having something to admire." She turned away from him as he raised his eyebrows at her.

"What? So like no bad boys, no army boys, nothing like that?" he said trying not to laugh.

"Hey, if they have abs, hot arms and can make me feel good, why do I care what they get up to any other time?" she went kind of red after saying that and grinned. "So was I right about yours?"

"Not exactly, the girls you described are the ones I seem to attract, I'd prefer to be able to actually converse with the girl of my dreams, not have her giggle or agree with everything I say," Johnny said shrugging. Tia's eyebrows rose. "But of course I won't settle for anything less than stunning. That's why it's so hard to find the perfect lady." Tia couldn't help but shake her head.

"Yes, of course," she replied rolling her eyes.

"Hey, what have I told you about rolling your eyes at me?" Johnny said wagging his finger at her. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow but did nothing more. "So, Robert hey? Are you happy to going with him?"

"Hey, I could have done much worse," she answered laughing slightly. "I mean I could have gone with you right? Much worse." She looked at him slyly.

"Oh, gees, spear to the heart," Johnny mocked gripping his chest. "You're right though, at least I don't have to resort to going with you."

"So you still haven't been asked by someone you deem worthy to go with?"

"Oh I haven't decided yet, I definitely don't want to go with Sammie, she's damaged goods and very annoying!" Tia laughed at that. "Maybe Raein, so I can put Kai's nose out of joint, or even Demi is alright. That would piss her brother off some. Mind you neither of those have asked me yet."

"Tiana? She's asked you already hasn't she?" Tia asked in interest. She'd heard over 30 girls had asked him already, some of them even juniors.

"Yeah, she did, but I've never really found her appealing in anyway. She's a follower, I seem to be more attracted to the girls that lead," he replied looking thoughtful for a moment. "I might just ask Nanasi to go with me, so if any of the girls ends up free and needs a shoulder to cry on, hey I'm right here."

"You're all class McGregor," she said snidely. "And that would look good, show up with your cousin, haha, and let the rumours begin."

"As if, everyone knows not to even mention that to us, they cop it sweet, I mean look at all the girls I have hanging off of me, why would I even consider my cousin," Johnny shuddered at the thought making Tia laugh. She looked at her watch; they were due for indoor training tonight.

"Come on you, we're gonna go play some indoor pumped on bourbon, haha, this should be fun," she said standing up. As she stood up she looked across to her own balcony. "Oh shit." Johnny looked across to the balcony as well.

"I don't think Simon is coaching anymore," Johnny said hastily.

"Why do you say that?" Tia asked whipping her head around to look at him.

"Well, surely he wouldn't want to hurt you anymore?" he suggested.

"I would have thought that a couple of times already," she said walking through to Johnny's room. Johnny followed her.

"You want me to call through and find out?" he asked taking his shirt off to change as Tia put her can in the bin. She turned around to face him.

"Oh Jesus Johnny. Bit of warning next time, or at least wait until I'm out of the room."

"Oh puh-lease! Don't tell me you don't enjoy looking at it," he said stretching his arms above his head. She rolled her eyes and folded her arms.

"Hey, what have I told you about rolling your eyes at me?" he warned reaching into a draw for a singlet.

"That it really annoys you, and yet you wonder why I still do it?" she answered then laughed before doing it again.

"That's it!" he said and went to grab her. She jumped back, avoiding his grasp and went to give him a shove back with a laugh, but he managed to grab her arm as she went to push him and he began tickling her.

"Johnny!" she shouted laughing hysterically. "Stop it!" She went to push back into him, but they tripped over some shoes and fell onto the ground, Johnny landing first and Tia on top of him.

"Ow," Johnny said laughing. He looked down at Tia who had rolled off of him and onto her stomach on the floor, laughing her ass off.

"Double Ow," Tia laughed. "Oh god, I'm not sure what hurt more though, me laughing or us falling." She began to prop herself up on her elbows. Johnny poked her rib making her laugh again. "Hey!" She rolled onto her side and tried to fight him off.

"Come on doll face, I'll go call Michael and find out what the go is," he said standing up and lifting her up easily by her arm. As he turned to pick up his phone Tia stopped him.

"It's fine, forget it. I'm going to have to face him eventually." Johnny watched her walk out of the room.

_Please review guys, i can't improve the story unless you let me know what you think. But please don't bother flaming, i'll only accept CONSTRUCTIVE criticism and i can tell the difference thanks_


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